


Lucky Thirteen

by agentsimmons



Series: Yours. Mine. Ours. [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Background Betty/Leonard, Background Loki/Sig, Background Natasha/James, Background Pepper/Happy - Freeform, Bisexual Tony Stark, Crack Treated Seriously, De-Aged, Domestic, Family, Family Drama, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff, Fluffy Ending, Gay Bruce Banner, General Ross Sucks In This Verse Too, Grey-A Natasha, Inspired by a Movie, Kid Clint Barton, Kid Fic, Kid Jemma Simmons, Kid Loki and Kid Thor, Kid Natasha Romanov, Kid Peter Parker, Kid Pietro Maximoff, Kid Sam Wilson, Kid Skye | Daisy Johnson, Kid Steve Rogers, Kid Wanda Maximoff, Large Families, M/M, Marvel Cameos, Not Canon Compliant, POV Alternating, Parent Bruce Banner, Parent Tony Stark, Parent-Child Relationship, Parenthood, Past Character Death, Past Maya Hansen/Tony Stark, Romantic Fluff, Science Boyfriends, Single Parents, The Author Regrets Nothing, The Supersized Science Family, Unconventional Families, background Steve/Sam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-13
Updated: 2015-11-23
Packaged: 2018-04-26 07:20:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 150,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4995343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agentsimmons/pseuds/agentsimmons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Widowed father, and billionaire genius, Tony Stark and single father, and nuclear physicist, Bruce Banner meet at a science conference. One has six kids and the other has seven. So of course that's a recipe for <strike>disaster</strike> love in the making.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Day in the Life of Tony Stark, Genius Billionaire Philanthropist Father

**Author's Note:**

> Here comes another helping of 'oh wow I don't even know what this fic is supposed to be and I'm so very sorry.' Basically everybody was like 'take the train to Dadsville' but said train went over a cliff and down a rabbit hole. So if I had to put a label on this, I guess I would call it my effort to get out my dad feels on an extreme level so I can focus them on a more, uh, sane level. This was highly, though loosely, inspired by _Yours, Mine & Ours_ (both versions). 
> 
> Because I just started writing and it got to be sooo long, [ElleBear](http://archiveofourown.org/users/ElleBear) was kind enough to beta for me to check for consistency issues, things that didn't make sense, etc. 
> 
> Long Preface Ahead:  
> First, this fiction is already finished. I'm simply posting the first few chapters now so as not to lose the draft. (Which ironically was set to delete on the 13th which was completely coincidental, but COOL.) If you were thinking of subscribing for updates, I must warn you that they will roll out regularly over the course of the next several days as I upload the chapters and format some of them and add the author notes. My apologies if spam happens. You may just want to sit tight if the concept of the story is one you're interested in enough to read right away but don't like constant updates :3
> 
> I take some cues from canon and then mutilate how they are presented in this fic. And then I make up stuff altogether for the characterizations (Maya is a major example in this fic). Because of this if you're looking for something wonderfully in character with good canon integration, this may not be the fic for you. Major possible point of issue, because Tony and Bruce get over the majority of their demons early on in life and settle down as fathers, they're not going to be inherently the same characters they are in the movies. I did try my best to characterize them how I could personally imagine them as fathers of large families from an early age, but caveat emptor just the same since my interpretation may not gel with others. 
> 
> This fic is set in our no-powers world in theory, but uses a lot of handwavy logic fail that applies in the comics, or in poorly written movies sorry. There are things that may require a suspension of belief, such as: how fast things move, how convenient things are, how well the kids integrate In particular, etc. In particular, I wish adoption would have been as easy as it is for Bruce in this fic in our world, but it would not have been and his story is a tad outrageous, but I wanted him to have an unconventional family as I like him having that in team fics too. Similarly, Bruce's kids are collectively referred to as the Banners. Realistically, they wouldn't all necessarily have their last names changed to Banner just because of adoption (especially two of them based on circumstances), but it was just too much to stop and explain and calling them the Banners is just easier *is lazy*
> 
> This fic tackles ideas like large sized families, adoption, and surrogacy. It is not meant to endorse any of these as a rule of thumb or a one-size fits all. This fic also tackles the idea of children taken from tumultuous experiences at an age where they would certainly need help to adjust in a new home. That isn't really explicitly addressed in this fic as it just didn't fit in anywhere that I could see. I just want it to be clear that those characters did have a voice somewhere in the unwritten back story and their present adaption to life as Bruce's children is because of unwritten back story – I do not mean to hand wave or disregard that process should it feel that way. If you feel there's a problem and it needs to be more explicit, I will take it into consideration for a future content edit. 
> 
> This fic is NR because it ranges from nauseatingly saccharine romantic and family shmoop, as it is me that's writing, to sensual/fade in-out scenes with Bruce/Tony, to discussion of very triggery/violent things. I will try to warn for all triggery things, but I make no guarantees it won't slip past my radar (please gently point out anything I've missed). Also language.
> 
> Most chapters range from six-eight thousand words for those who have a problem with long chapters. A few will be shorter.
> 
> For the background pairings, the major ones that get a lot of spotlight and/or discussion are Sam/Steve and Natasha/James.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: For mentions of murder of a parent/spouse, attempted murder of another parent, PTSD, alcohol abuse, depression, almost losing custody of children, bullying of kids by peers

There was a slap of something behind him and Tony turned away from his office window, where he'd been drinking his third cup of coffee and scrolling through his phone, to see his COO Pepper Potts standing in front of his desk with a hand on one hip and more sensible thermos of coffee in her other hand. She stared at him expectantly and finally he looked down in curiosity at his desk. He furrowed his brow and moved over to set down his mug and phone and pick up the science magazine. He raised his brow in her direction even as he began studying it.

"I think you should go," Pepper finally said.

His face fell as he saw the secondary headline on the cover announcing the upcoming science and technology convention in Germany. It was going to be one of the biggest meetings of minds of the year and she was crazy for suggesting it. Tony shook his head.

"You know I don't do conferences anymore. Stark Industries has enough brilliant minds it can send. You can go too if you want," he took a chance to jab even if he knew she was brilliant in her own way. "I don't need to be there."

He opened the magazine and skimmed the list of articles. It was embarrassingly last century and a waste of ink and paper since not everyone recycles, but his eyes caught on one title that looked particularly interesting about anti-electron collision and he began flipping through the magazine to get to its location. He was well aware that Pepper was still standing there with a frown on her face and he was equally aware that she was aware that he was now pointedly ignoring her.

She sighed. "Tony, it's been seven years."

"You say that like there's some expiration on—"

"I didn't mean that," Pepper snapped and set her thermos down on his desk. He looked up at her and she looked sorry for her outburst. "You know I didn't mean it like that."

He just gave her a nod. "I do know that," he conceded as his eyes scanned the first paragraph of the excerpt of a paper written by a Dr. Robert Bruce Banner. He was already intrigued so dog eared the page to come back to when he wasn't about to have a serious conversation with his friend. "Look, Pepper. I'm fine. I'm out in the world. I'm running this ship. I'm seeing people again. Isn't that enough?"

She folded her arms gently. "Not really, no. First of all, you've only been on, what, a handful of serious dates in the last two years? That's not exactly seeing people."

He rolled his eyes and looked back out the window at the Manhattan skyline. "First of all," he imitated, "I'm a busy man. Second of all you know how hard it is to find people interested in, well, me. As a person. Not just some billionaire tech magnate celebrity symbol or whatever the hell. And then there's the kids," he added, turning back toward her just in time to see the slight nod of understanding. "Not many people looking to be hoisted into the spotlight along with a ready-made family. Not even my charm and money is worth that kind of baggage to most. And the ones that seemed interested… it just wasn't right." He shrugged.

"Tony, that's not even what I'm really talking about here," Pepper said gently as she sat down in the chair in front of his desk. "Would I like to see you happy with someone again? Yes. Absolutely. But it's not a requirement. You have your kids and _that_ is what matters."

Tony gave a half smile as he sat down in his own chair. He knew she wasn't finished so he just took another drink of his coffee.

"But…" She started slowly and he looked at her impatiently. "You may be out in the world and running this ship, but this is about you refusing to get out there and do anything that even remotely reminds you of Maya." His face fell at the sound of his late wife's name and he swallowed his drink hard. "She wouldn't want this, Tony. I know you're trying. I know you're better off than you were five years ago."

That was when he had found out that her accident two years prior had been no accident, rather a hit on them both ordered by a man he had trusted like an uncle. The hit had failed on him the first time by a matter of happenstance. Two years later Obadiah Stane had tried again, bringing about the revelation of what had happened to his wife. Tony, who had only begun to heal from the loss of his wife, had hit rock bottom with depression, anger, paranoia on behalf of his kids whom Stane had also threatened, and enough alcohol that he had almost lost those kids, who were also struggling with the betrayal and near-loss of their dad along with mom, unless he agreed to get treated for PTSD. Of course it hadn't even been an issue of whether to choose them or wallowing in fear and anxiety, but it had been an uphill battle and he didn't like being reminded of the event no matter how many years passed.

Pepper continued when he didn't respond. "Tony, I think this is the next step and Maya would want you to take it. She wouldn't be happy to know you refuse to go to conferences that you belong at. She wouldn't be okay with you isolating yourself from the science community eighty percent of the time because you're afraid of getting close to that world again."

"What is this really about?" Tony finally asked because he wasn't an idiot – he was a genius actually – and knew Pepper had to have some ulterior motive if she was suddenly pushing him to do this now. The dating thing he could understand. But she knew that science conferences were his sorest spot having had met Maya at one a little over fifteen years prior. So there had to be a reason.

"It's about Skye," Pepper answered, not one to deflect a question. "She really wants to go to the junior conference," she said in reference to the conference held simultaneously in another pavilion. It was a way for young scientists to meet with other young scientists or in other cases a safe place for parents at the conference to leave their children while they lectured or listened.

Tony narrowed his eyes in confusion. "She hasn't said anything to me about it."

Pepper gave him a soft glare in return. "Of course not because she's afraid to ask. She just assumes you'll say no."

Tony frowned as he felt a pang of guilt settle across his chest. "So she came to you?"

Pepper hitched a shoulder. "She knows you would never let her go on her own and no matter how much you try to tell them otherwise so they won't worry about you, she's not stupid, Tony. She knows that this is about her mother. She knows that you wouldn't go with her if she asked."

Tony slumped backwards in his chair. "Has it really gotten that bad? That my own daughter can't even come to me about this?"

"Tony, she's almost 14," Pepper said gently. As if he needed the reminder that he was the father of a teenage daughter… "It's a confusing time for her. I think she cares about not hurting or upsetting you, but at the same time she wants to come to you. This is only going to get harder if you don't deal with it now."

"Maya would be disappointed in me, wouldn't she?" Tony asked as he leaned forward again and reached for the magazine.

Pepper reached out and placed a friendly hand atop his. "I say this because you're my friend and because Maya was my friend, but yes I think she would be a little disappointed. But I also think she would understand that you're a little out of your depth. You've been a hell of a single father for seven years, Tony. So don't sell yourself short on that. She wouldn't want that. But she would want you to finally move on and stop needlessly hurting especially if it's what's best for your kids."

Tony sighed, hating that she had a point. He did his damnedest to be a good father, but it had been easier when the kids were younger and still clung to him and came to him about everything. She was right that he had been struggling as of late now that none of them would be under the age of ten before the year was over. He needed to approach the problem head on even if it meant getting over his own issues for their sake.

"Think you and Happy can watch the others?" He asked as she drew away her hand and he grabbed the magazine.

"Of course," she said with a smile.

 

* * *

 

Harley sank into his chair almost as soon as Tony walked into Principal Coulson's office at the S.H.I.E.L.D. – which stood for Science Humanities Information Engineering Languages Diplomacy, the school's focus programs – K-8 Academy and fixed his son with an unhappy look. Tony had been in the middle of a conference call with Fujikawa, a subsidiary in Japan, when he had gotten a message from his personal AI, JARVIS that Principal Coulson had called.

"You are in serious trouble," Tony said to the point as he shook Coulson's hand and then took a seat next to his youngest son.

"Yes, he is," Coulson agreed as he opened a drawer and then quickly placed a homemade potato shooter on the desk in front of him.

Tony's eyes widened and he scrubbed his face before looking at Harley in disbelief. "What were you thinking?"

"I wasn't going to use it unless I had to," Harley replied sulkily with a shrug.

"No, no, that's not an answer. There's no reason whatsoever for you to bring that to school let alone use it. I'm…" He threw up his hands and looked back at Coulson in distress. "I don't know what's gotten into you if you think that this is acceptable." Tony shook his head.

"Harley, can you give your father and I a moment?" Coulson said evenly, fixing Harley with a look that said it wasn't actually a question. "We'll discuss your punishment afterwards."

Tony watched his son roll his eyes disrespectfully as he left the room. "I don't even know what to say," he said as soon as he was alone with the principal.

"Mr. Stark, I'm going to be perfectly honest with you. I think Harley has become a favorite target of bullies." Tony felt himself become indignant on behalf of Harley in spite of his disappointment with him at the moment. "The only problem is I haven't been able to catch it in the act. I'm not even sure it's physical or if it's only verbal and emotional. And Harley won't open up when I ask him. He says he's fine. But he doesn't have many friends and he's become gradually more despondent over the course of the school year." Coulson gave him a sympathetic look. "I'm very, very concerned about him. He's a bright kid. He's a joy to have in class according to all of his teachers. And usually he's quite energetic and talkative. Sometimes too talkative," Coulson added with a small smile.

Tony smiled also as he was well aware of that fact. There were times when Harley would get going and simply wouldn't stop. Everyone joked that it was an inherited trait from Tony. His older sister Darcy was much the same way.

"I haven't noticed any problems at home," Tony said honestly with a shrug.

Coulson sighed. "No, I imagine you wouldn't. I'm sure he still feels safe at home and up until today I'm assuming he didn't have any reason to blur that line. But that line _will_ blur now, Mr. Stark if nothing is done. Clearly something has escalated for Harley to feel the need to protect himself with a weapon. I can only assume that had I not found out about it from his teacher that you would have begun to see the signs at home as well." Coulson paused. "Fortunately, we're coming up to the end of the school year so we have timing on our side. We can proactively address this prior to the next school year."

Tony listened, a million thoughts whirring through his mind that he attempted to reign in. He wasn't always level headed in these situations. He just wanted to protect his children from anything and everything. He was the kind to quickly point a finger in a million different directions at once. But Harley had created a weapon and taken it to school without his knowing so as angry as he was at the school for not telling him sooner that there might be a problem, he couldn't help but feel guilty for that happening under his own watch.

"I promise I will deal with this," Tony finally said. "But his punishment?"

Coulson gave him an even look. "I want to suspend him for two weeks." Tony opened his mouth to respond, but Coulson held up a hand. "I think it's for his own good. I want him out of this environment for a little while or at least until we can get to the bottom of the problem. That said I also want him to report to the counselor at the high school for the remainder of the year."

"At the high school?" Tony raised an eyebrow.

"I've found that students don't always trust that what they say to their own teachers won't spread to their classmates somehow. An objective, outside source is sometimes what they need. S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy has that benefit of pulling sources from one school to the other. In this case, I believe it would be beneficial for Harley to speak with someone outside of this school."

Tony sighed and nodded. "Understood. What can I do?"

"What you always do, Mr. Stark. Be there for him. Love him. This can get better. In the meantime, I'll arrange it with the counselor and you can expect a call sometime this afternoon." Coulson stood and moved toward the door. "Harley, we've reached a decision on your consequences if you'd please step back in here."

"You're mad at me," Harley said when they were done with the meeting with Coulson and heading to the SUV.

"Well, I'm not particularly happy," Tony replied, but kept his tone even.

His father had always used a sharp tone of voice with him when he was angry. It was always a sharp, condescending kind of anger meant to cut him down to size and remind him that Howard Stark was the king. His father had been cold and distant and it was the opposite of what Tony had determined to be for his own children – even though in his teen years he had never planned on children at all – so that meant being as open with them as he could, even when he was unhappy.

"Look, Harley, I'm unhappy that somewhere along the way you decided you can't come to me about whatever this is." He sighed. "I'm unhappy with myself if I haven't taught you that weapons aren't the answer. But mostly I'm just unhappy that something or somebody has made you think this might be the only viable solution," he said with honest anger in his tone geared toward his son's oppressors.

There was silence until they reached the luxurious model of an SUV. It was Friday and he had given the kids' driver the day off. He made sure to be the one to pick up his kids at least once a week, days varying, if he could.

"I'm sorry, dad," the nine year old said when they stopped on the passenger side. "I won't do it again," Harley promised.

"Damn right you won't," Tony replied with a smile that belied his words. "You know how I know?" Harley shook his head. "Because you're a good kid. And you're the kind of kid who learns from this kind of thing and bounces right back." He ruffled his son's hair and then squeezed his shoulder before looking down at his watch. "Alright, kiddo. Let's go get some lunch and then we'll crash your brother's track and field meet. Sound like a plan?"

 

* * *

 

Tony sidled into the bleachers along with the other parents that were there a little early for the afternoon meet. Parents didn't have to come as it was being held within school hours, but they were invited just the same and Tony had planned on it anyhow. Currently some of the S.H.I.E.L.D. students on the team were practicing or warming up.

"Hey, Uncle T!" Sam noticed him and waved before saying something to his friends and bounding up the stairs toward them. "You're here early. And hey, little dude! Didn't expect to see you," he said with a smile at Harley.

Tony smiled at his best friend's infectious son, who was also his off-and-on charge. It was a little strange perhaps, but he acted as Sam's secondary legal guardian whenever Lt. Col. James Rhodes was stationed overseas – which he was currently. His friend Rhodey didn't want Sam holed up alone in military school, Tony wholeheartedly agreed having been sent away to boarding school as a kid, and Tony didn't mind having his surrogate nephew of sorts around. It had been their arrangement for nearly twelve years. It had been Maya's suggestion when Rhodey hadn't known what else to do the first time he was deployed after Sam's mother had up and left them.

"I got suspended," Harley said and Tony thought he sounded maybe a little too boastful about it, as if it were some feat worthy of street cred. He mused that it must be some sort of sins of the father type deal.

"Suspended?" Sam looked at him in disbelief. "That doesn't sound like you at all." Harley just shrugged. "Well, then is Mr. Big and Bad too tough to cheer me on now?"

Harley smiled as he scoffed. "Of course not. You're number one on the track team. Only an idiot wouldn't."

Sam beamed. "Yeah, well, I'm just glad I'll be out of here before Pietro shows up," he then said and Tony smiled proudly in regard to his middle son. "He'll probably shatter my record the first time he steps on the track."

Tony continued to smile and he nodded. "Probably. That kid was born to run."

"Nah, Uncle T. I don't think running is even fast enough."

Tony snorted. Sam might have a point on that one. "Yeah, he's been bugging me to let him try junior racing. I might look into it for his thirteenth birthday," he considered out loud.

Tony caught sight of his oldest son, Clint coming onto the track and field with his bow and quiver; he was a part of the archery team and although archery wasn't technically a track and field sport the school combined the archery competitions with the meet since it was such a small sport on its own. Clint was already good enough that he was a member of USA Archery, had competed for a time when he was younger on a youth team – before Maya passed and he lost touch with it for a while – and looked forward to trying out for a spot on the USA team when he was old enough.

"Hey, Clint!" Harley yelled for his brother, but he didn't acknowledge them.

Sam snapped suddenly. "Right. Forgot I have his aid. He wanted to take a swim to loosen his muscles. Be right back," Sam said and hurried back down the stairs.

Tony watched as Sam got Clint's attention, speaking into his right ear as the boy was legally deaf in his left – the ear that had been turned toward the bleachers thus his not having heard them. Clint then turned with a grin and waved at them while Sam grabbed his track bag and dug out the hearing aid. Once Clint had secured it in place, he came bounding up the bleachers without bothering with the stairs. Sam followed behind more practically, using the stairs as he obviously didn't want to risk injury before running.

"Hey, punk. What are you doing here?" Clint asked with a ruffle of his younger brother's hair.

Harley pushed his hand away. "Here to watch you suck and then rub it in your face," the younger boy taunted.

"In your dreams. I have eyes like a hawk. I never miss," Clint said smugly. Some parents might warn a kid not to be overly confident or show off-y. Tony most certainly did not subscribe to that methodology as he himself was an egotistic asshole at times – in an endearing way, of course. "Seriously though, how come dad sprung you from prison and nobody else?" Clint looked at Tony curiously.

"More like he was so awful the prison didn't even want him," Tony teased, nudging his younger son.

"What?" Clint looked just as disbelieving as Sam before it turned up into a smirk. "Way to go, punk!"

Tony's teasing smile turned into a glowering look aimed at the sixteen year old. "Uh, no. We're not encouraging this. What he did was wrong and he's being punished."

"I don't get how being kicked out of school is a punishment," Clint said with a shrug which was a fair point.

However, Harley deflated beside Tony. "I have to see your guidance counselor every day for the next two weeks," he mumbled.

Sam tried to bite down on a laugh. Clint kept his face impassive, but Tony could see the hint of impish delight there. "Ouch. Sorry, man. But, hey, Dr. Drumm's not so bad. Well, I better get back to practicing," Clint then said and he and Sam left.

 

* * *

 

"And then Mr. Pym had the audacity to suggest that robots are incapable of ever becoming sentient on their own regardless of how advanced our programming becomes," Tony's middle daughter, Wanda said as they worked on a robot together in his home workshop before dinner arrived – Fridays and Saturdays were rotated among the kids to pick what they wanted for dinner and Clint picked pizza.

"Well, he sure would have a fit over JARVIS wouldn't he?" Tony asked with a laugh.

 _Thank you, Sir_ , the AI intoned on his own as if proving the point.

"I would have told him he was wrong, but I've already gotten three tallies in his class this month," Wanda said next and Tony shook his head. He wasn't always sure whether or not he should encourage his children's right to question the things presented to them by their teachers if they were clearly untrue. "It didn't seem like the kind of thing to get detention for no matter how wrong he is. It would be a waste of time as nobody would take my side."

"That's my girl," Tony said with a smile as he attempted to splice a few wires. This behavior he definitely could encourage. "Take it from me, learn how to pick your battles now and you'll be better off later. If it wasn't for your mother, I'd probably still be fighting the wrong battles and I wouldn't have you and your brothers and sisters to fill my life with—"

"Chaos?" Wanda asked with a teasing raise of an eyebrow as she reached for a wrench.

"Yep," Tony replied. "Wonderful chaos that I wouldn’t trade for the world."

They worked in tandem without anything further said for several moments. Every now and then Tony would step back and let Wanda take control as she was deeply focused on her work. Of all his children, she was the one who had taken most to robotics and she was increasingly good at it.

"Hey, dad," she spoke again finally. "Do you think you'll ever marry again?"

Sometimes her questions came out of left field. Of all of his children she was also the most perceptive and had a way of just broaching these kinds of topics without segue way. She looked at him curiously and his face softened after the initial shock wore off.

"Honestly, sweetheart, I don't know one way or another." He hitched a shoulder as he fiddled with his wire cutter. "These things are complicated."

She tilted her head and studied him. "Sometimes you seem lonely."

He gaped slightly. "How could I be lonely? I have six kids. Seven if you count Sam when he's here," he added with a small laugh. "And then there's Dummy and U and Butterfingers and JARVIS too. Let's not forget the practical menagerie of animals you guys somehow keep talking me into letting you keep," he said it with a chuckle and defeated shake of his head.

"Dad, that's not the same and you know it," Wanda protested. "Mom would want you to find love again."

"Somebody's been watching Hallmark movies with Happy," Tony accused playfully. He then became more serious. "I won't say I wouldn't ever try again with somebody, but it's a matter of finding the right person," he explained, trusting she would understand. "Your mother was amazing and that's a hard act to follow. The man or woman who could do that would have to be so special that I'm just a little afraid they don't exist. They would have to love you and the others just as much as they love me and that's a lot to ask for some people. Make sense?"

Wanda looked thoughtful. "Well, I think if he or she fell in love with you, they would love us too by default. Right? Or else you would know it wasn't real."

Tony offered her a half smile at her simple conclusion. He wished it was that easy, that he could be that naïve about the matter, but he decided not to shatter her illusions with complexities of the heart and emotions and real life. You don't always choose who you fall in love with or how they feel in return, after all.

"It's a good start," he said simply.

 

* * *

 

Chaos definitely reigned supreme around the large dining table as the kids all chattered about school and what they wanted to do for the weekend. Tony listened and played with the schedule on his phone. He could remember the days when he couldn't do any of it without Maya and then Pepper's help after Maya was gone as he'd been unable to do much of anything at first. But he had gotten the hang of it eventually. He wasn't perfect and still mis-scheduled things or forgot stuff until the last moment, but he usually figured out how to fix it if he could.

"I need to go take care of Scarlet," Wanda said of her horse that they housed at a nearby stable.

"Can I come?" Darcy asked her older sister.

"I just want to hang out here," Clint said around a bite of pizza and Sam agreed.

"The surf is supposed to be good tomorrow," Pietro chimed in.

Tony took a bite of pizza and shook his head, feeling a little overwhelmed. "Oh, wait." He suddenly scrolled back up on the schedule and noticed the appointment already at the top. "Darcy, you have your glasses fitting with the optometrist tomorrow morning."

He looked over as she slumped forward in the chair on his right hand side. She sulkily put her elbows on the table and rested her cheeks against her closed fists. "I don't want glasses. Why can't I have contacts?"

"We're not having this discussion again," Tony said firmly before taking a drink of soda.

She had begged and pleaded and thrown a fit to get contacts, but she was only ten and the eye doctor was perfectly clear that it wasn't suggested unless the child was extremely mature and responsible. Frankly, Darcy really wasn't responsible enough yet and he had no desire to have to rush his daughter to the hospital should she forget to take out the contact and it get lodged behind her eyeball or something else along those lines. He had literally had nightmares of all kinds of gruesome situations after the doctor had explained potential risks of not maintaining a rigid care regimen.

"But the kids are going to make fun of me even more now," Darcy whined. "They already call me fat!"

Tony frowned. "That's just because they don't have any imagination, sweetheart."

" _It's cuz they're not about the bass, 'bout the bass, just treble_ ," Skye sing-songed near the other end of the table and kept repeating it over and over as Clint and Sam laughed and Pietro joined in.

"Ugh, that is not music!" Wanda complained. Tony was inclined to agree.

"Now I'll be fat with four eyes," Darcy continued to whine. "It's not fair!"

"You're not fat, Darcy," Wanda said, though Tony didn't miss the roll of eyes toward her older sister as she continued to lead a chorus in pop music.

"Your sister is right," Tony said gently. "And if they call you fat with four eyes then you use that clever tongue of yours to dish it right back," he then said with a cheeky smile.

All of the others stopped and turned to look at him in surprise. "Dad, that is like the worst advice ever!" Skye said with a laugh that the others joined in on.

After that they continued dinner and figured out the plans for the weekend before the kids made a mad dash toward the recreational room where most Friday nights were spent together like a nice tradition that had sort of just happened.

"Go ahead and rack 'em up and I'll be there in a few minutes," he told Clint, Sam, and Skye before they left the room, taking the extra pizza with them. They almost always started with a game of pool. "Hey, Pietro," he called to his middle son before he could fly off. The boy stopped in his tracks. "Don't think I didn't see the letter pinned to your backpack, kiddo. Go get it."

While Pietro left, in no hurry for once, Tony cleared any remaining items on the table, somewhat lamenting the loss of his own childhood when he'd had faithful butler Edwin Jarvis to do this type of thing. But it wasn't too bad now that the kids were older. The only left over plates were Darcy's and Harley's and there were some empty boxes of pizza and forgotten drinks that the kids would probably come back for at some point passing through – after also consuming whatever drinks they could get their hands on in the fridge in the rec room. He often wondered if Maya would tell him to run a tighter ship, but at the very least caffeine was limited to Friday and Saturday so he hoped he wasn't doing too miserably. And he was always a firm believer in all work, no play being a horrible way to live.

"Here," Pietro said tossing the envelope on the table. "It's a recommendation for stupid summer school," he said, bouncing a little on his feet as if uncomfortable.

Tony just nodded, opened the envelope addressed to him and took out the brochure and letter from his home room teacher. He quickly scanned over the concerns of the teacher. "She says you've improved drastically in English and you're getting there in math." He offered his son a smile. "So it sounds like you've been working hard and paying attention to the tutoring."

Pietro stopped fidgeting. "I wish I was smart like the others," he said forlornly.

"I hate to break it to you, buddy, but you are definitely not the only Stark to need summer school," he said plainly. "Clint and Skye have both done their time in the past."

"Skye?" Pietro looked flabbergasted.

"Yep," he said, popping the 'p' as he laid aside the letter and brochure and moved to put a hand on his son's shoulder. "Don't you remember when she was Harley's age and she had to work hard to get better?" He was almost two years younger, so maybe he didn't. "Just like you're working hard right now. Your sister might be a tech whiz, but that doesn't make her an expert at everything. We all have our strengths. Yours just aren't strictly academic and that's okay."

"So I really have to go to summer school?" Pietro looked up at him with a grimace.

Tony gave him a sardonic pout. "Yes, you really have to go to summer school. Sorry. Now let's go take out our frustration on some games, yeah?"

Pietro huffed, but then smiled in agreement to that idea.

 

* * *

 

Tony knocked softly on Skye's bedroom door. "Still up?"

"Yeah, come in," she called.

He entered to find her lounging against her head rest, knees pulled up, and reading something on her tablet. "Anything good?" He asked.

"It's called _The Girl At Midnight_. It's okay so far," she said with a shrug. She then set aside the tablet and sat up in a cross legged position, clearly expecting him to have something specific to say.

"So I hear there's a science conference in Germany next week," Tony said to the point and her eyes widened. "I was thinking of going. Maybe you and Sam could tag along." He might still be a little paranoid, but he would feel better if Sam went with her to the Junior Conference.

"Really!?" Skye bounced a little and looked at him hopefully.

"Yes, really. I'm already looking into some last minute accommodations and registration. I'll speak to Principal Fury and your teachers to excuse you next Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. You'll probably still be jet lagged come Monday, but I'm sure you'll manage."

"Yeah, I'll manage!" she exclaimed. "I can't believe it. How did Aunt Pepper talk you into it?"

Tony sat down on the edge of her bed. "She just told me you mentioned wanting to go."

"Is that all she mentioned?" Skye asked, sounding uncertain and worrying her lip.

"No," Tony answered honestly. "She also mentioned that you were worried that something like this would hurt me so you didn't want to just ask me about it."

"It's just mom…" she started, but her sentence trailed.

"Yeah, mom. But mom would be kicking me in very uncomfortable places right now if I didn't get over that so I can make you happy. Sure, it might be a little difficult for me, but, Skye, it's also difficult knowing you think I'll just shut you down without even listening."

She sighed and looked down at her lap. "I know. I started to ask you like ten times. I even almost asked JARVIS to put it on your calendar or something."

He snorted quietly. "Yeah, that sounds like something you would do. Look, I'm not mad okay? I don't want you to think I'm mad that you went to Pepper. I get it. Aunt Pepper's probably going to be fielding a lot of issues over the next few years and I'm just going to have to deal with that. But when it comes to stuff like this, I hope you can still come to me, okay?" He fixed her with a serious look.

"Okay." She nodded and he stood to his feet, satisfied that he'd made his point with their heart to heart. "Thanks for letting me go. I love you, dad."

Tony smiled softly and walked over to lean over and give her a hug. "I love you too, princess." He kissed her on the forehead. "I know it's Friday, but try not to stay up too much later, okay? Don't want to end up with my sleeping habits," he said with a teasing smile before wishing her good night and leaving the room.

Tony made his way then to his own room and sat down at the food of his king size bed. He wasn't particularly tired, certainly all the soda hadn't helped, so he had a pretty good feeling that after he cleaned up and changed into sweats and an undershirt he would end up just watching television or maybe even heading out to the garage to work on one of his vintage cars.

He sighed as he looked around the vast, empty space of his room. Tony hated to admit it, but Wanda had been right. Sometimes when it was just him in his bedroom or in the garage or even in his workshop, he was lonely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few timeline notes/author choices to help out if they weren't clear in text -  
> 1\. Tony's birth date in this is May 29, 1976 so he's been aged down to 38/39 in this. Likewise Bruce's will be December 18, 1976.  
> 2\. This fic starts on May 1, 2015 like the release date of AoU.  
> 3\. Maya's death was in 2008, inspired by the original dates of the MCU timeline for Iron Man.  
> 4\. Tony's near death at Stane's hand was in 2010, inspired by the updated MCU timeline for Iron Man (even if I don't usually like that timeline update lol).  
> 5\. Maya, though we never get to see her in this, is envisioned as a cross between her wide-eyed beginning self in IM3 and her redeemed self at the very end before Killian kills her (with that touch of her characterization in the hotel room with Pepper). Spoiler alert - when Tony met her, she had been used by Killian for nefarious purposes and already redeemed from that.  
> 6\. I debated long and hard about making Skye the daughter of two white parents because I didn't want to ignore Chloe's ethnicity, to the point I almost made her adopted, but I really wanted it to be that she inherited Tony's tech genius so I'm truly sorry if this is read as problematic :( Meanwhile the white kids, Wanda and Pietro are still adopted/Sokovian *fails*


	2. A Day in the Life of Bruce Banner, PhD in Nuclear Physics and Fatherhood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Thor's name real name is Jakob as a reference to his time as Jake Olson in the comics.  
> 2\. Loki's name is Loren as a reference to his time as Jake Olson's 'twin brother' Loren Olson. They are not actually twins in this though.  
> 3\. Pre-warning for those who hate when Loki isn't mean: Loki is not a villain or overly malicious in this. He's slightly angsty, egotistic, a little bit woobie, hipster idk because I'd like to think it works for this story with Bruce as his dad, sorry not sorry.

Bruce's alarm went off at 5:45. As was the case every weekday morning, barring incidents such as middle of the night power outages or sick kids, he was up and in the shower by 5:47. He was out again and semi-dressed – in a clean pair of sweat pants and his robe – by 6.

Bruce made his way into the kitchen. He put on a kettle for tea and started on breakfast, which was eggs and oatmeal this morning. Behind him he heard the screen door open and close.

"Did you have a good run?" He asked his oldest son as he came into the kitchen.

"Super," Steve said with a quick peck to his cheek, that he now had to lean down in order to do because the soon to be 17 year old was well on his way to 6 ft while Bruce remained a very slight 5 ft 8.

Bruce smiled fondly at him anyway since he'd stopped worrying about his height a long time ago and since there was a time when he would have begged for a miracle to make Steve as healthy and strong as he was now. He saw Steve glance at his watch.

"Better hurry. I'm pretty sure Loki's already up," he warned. He chuckled quietly as Steve booked it toward the bathroom to get his 10 minute slot in before his younger brother could.

Bruce returned to preparing breakfast and at 6:15, the morning was truly about to begin. He dished out the food and set the plates around their large, round table that took up the majority of the small area designated for the dining room. He then pulled out the juice and milk and a container of chopped up fruit, taking each over to the middle of the table as well. He sometimes mused that he was like a waiter, but it just made the morning routine smoother than letting the kids bustle around each other in the kitchen making a mess to dish out their own food.

As usual, Thor – his son's real name was Jakob, but he had traded in the nickname Jake for a jock nickname for the time being and Bruce didn't mind indulging him – was the first one to come to breakfast. As usual he looked like he had just thrown on the first clothes he could find, a white t-shirt and faded jeans, and put some greasy product in his hair before calling it a day. Bruce would wonder about all the girls that flocked around him when they went out places if not for the fact that his son was the captain of the school's wrestling team, weight lifting team, was on the football team in fall, and was a mixed martial arts junior instructor at the local Y. His physical prowess showed very clearly. And to top it all off he was 16 so while the girls flocked to him, he flocked to food like he was perpetually starving.

"Morning, father," Thor said warmly and hugged him. Another reason girls flocked to him was because for a 'hulking meathead' as Natasha and Loki called him, he had turned into a naïve soft heart in his teen years.

"Morning," he said and tried not to feel a little bit like the kid in the relationship compared to his tall and broad son. At least Thor didn't pick him up off the floor this time, not that he would have minded too much as it usually meant his second oldest son was in an extra good mood.

After having said his good morning, Thor sat down at the table and wasted no time digging into his food. Natasha trudged in for breakfast next, still in her pajamas and her eyes set upward in annoyance. Bruce didn't have to ask why as Jane, the younger of the two, trailed behind already chattering away as she was apt to do in waking hours.

"I can't wait! Only two more days!" Jane cheered and then hurried past Natasha and flung her arms around his waist, taking him a little off guard as he ate standing at the small kitchen island. He put down his fork and hugged her back. "I'm so excited, dad! Do you think I'll get to see Reed Richards?"

"It's a very good possibility," Bruce said, leaning down to kiss her on the top of her head.

He didn't tell her that the possibility was because wherever there was a science conference Reed Richards was there, being insufferable more times than not, or that he already planned on putting up with that insufferable personality long enough to ask him to speak with Jane. His daughter had plenty of time left to grow up and discover the strange world of science and the people that made it up for herself. He didn't want to shatter her illusions. And, okay, Richards wasn't a horrible guy by any means. Bruce certainly respected him. He was just… well, it was hard to explain.

"Good morning to you too, sunshine," he said with a laugh aimed at Natasha who had just gone straight to eating.

Natasha wasn't particularly a morning person, but she was good at routine and her way of dealing with this routine was to say as little as possible and reserve her energy for later. He didn't really mind as long as she communicated with him later in the day, although sometimes even that was sparse; his cousin Jennifer and friend Betty told him it was normal for a 15 year old girl and not to worry. So he didn't worry. Natasha's boyfriend James on the other hand… He shook his head to clear away those thoughts immediately as he returned to finishing his own breakfast.

"Loki's about to have a meltdown because somebody took the last of his product apparently," Steve announced as he returned, ready for school and ready to eat.

Bruce sighed and looked over at Thor knowingly. "Jakob…" He started, but then remembered his personal rule not to use his children's full names when disappointed. "Thor," he corrected more gently, "did you use it?"

"I was out of mine so I grabbed some of his before he got into the bathroom," Thor said. "And I didn't know it was the last of his until it was already in my hand. What was I supposed to do?"

Bruce moved his dish over to the sink. Thor was a naïve soft heart, but yes he was sometimes a little unperceptive.

"Ask, Thor. The answer to that question is to ask before you just use any in the first place," he told him and made a mental note to figure out how to handle the situation more appropriately later. "Alright, dad's on it," he announced, almost feeling like some horribly lame version of one of those superheroes in the comic books he read as a kid – like Iron Man perhaps. Iron Man, only in a robe with hair starting to go gray before 40 and off to save the day from an angst-ridden teenager. He snorted to himself as he made his way to the bathroom. "What do you need?" He asked from the other side of the closed door.

"I need Jake to stop ruining my life," came the practical hiss from his third eldest.

"Loki," Bruce warned. "Your brother calls you by your preferred name. You need to do the same for him even when he's taking your stuff without permission."

There was a long pause. "Fine, I need _Thor_ to stop ruining my life."

"Better," Bruce said, meeting him halfway. "Now obviously we don't have time to turn this into a scene. Natasha and Jane still need to get ready and it's getting late. We'll get you more product after school, okay? And Thor will be dealt with fairly. Until then do you think you can settle for some of mine?"

The door opened and his son, likely to be the tallest at the rate he was going, gave a long exasperated sigh. "If I must, I must," he said with a shake of his shaggy black hair that he preferred to slick back.

His son, actual name Loren, was definitely his most dramatic child at the moment. In fact, he was into theater – hence he decided to take Loki as a sort of pseudonym – and literature, history, debate club and anything else that Bruce suspected made him feel better or cleverer than his simple-minded peers. Sometimes Loki was a little too cunning and Bruce sometimes worried he could become cruel if left unchecked, but underneath Bruce also believed he wasn't a bad kid when push came to shove. Furthermore, he had been smaller and weaker much of his young life, having been born four months prematurely, and unlike Steve had remained gangly and picked on even into his teenage years before finding his niche. Bruce understood firsthand why his son used his clever mind as a means for self-preservation.

Loki followed him to his master bathroom and Bruce found the product that he occasionally used to tame his waves back when they were too out of control or he was going to a faculty meeting or event. Loki promptly took some and slicked back his hair, using Bruce's mirror, until he was satisfied. He then rinsed his hands off and dried them.

"Angst crisis averted?" Bruce asked him playfully.

Loki's lips turned up into a thin smile. "I suppose I can survive until lunch now," he replied dryly. "Thank you, father," he then said, sounding earnest.

"Come here, angsty boy," Bruce said fondly and held out his arms. Loki complied and hugged him. "Now you'll hopefully be good for an extra hour," he said before pulling away and Loki was still smiling which was always a good thing. "Love you, now go eat." He then shooed him out so he could finish getting ready himself.

By the time he was finished getting ready about ten minutes later, it was 6:35 and the kids were scrambling for last minute items before they would rush out the door and to their bus stops, the oldest four to the one for the high school and Jane to the one for the middle school. There was a last round of 'see you later' and 'have a good day' and other sentiments shared before they all piled out of the much too small house just off the Culver University campus where Bruce currently worked as a physics professor and as a post-doctorate researcher funded by the school's science department.

After they were gone, Bruce headed for the room Loki shared with his younger brother, Peter. Unsurprising, the eight year old boy was still passed out asleep in spite of the ruckus. He was sprawled out on his stomach across his bed like the spiders he was so fond of. Bruce shivered a little in spite of his logical brain as he went over to make sure the class pet tarantula was still safe in its container. He gave a little sigh of relief to find it was still there, which he knew was silly as it was a pad-locked glass container and only the teacher had the key – taking it home for the weekend was really just a superfluous bit of responsibility training to make sure the kids didn't lose the class pet or forget to bring him back.

"Rise and shine, Peter," he said, going back over to his youngest son's bed and jostling the ankle sticking out from his blanket. Peter groaned and tried to kick him away. Bruce responded by gently ruffling his hair. "Wrong answer. Time to get up and get ready for school." Even though the boy was extremely smart he sometimes lacked motivation.

Peter groaned again and turned over on his back before cracking open an eye. He then blinked them blearily and rubbed at them before reaching for the glasses on his nightstand. He slowly sat up in bed.

"I hate Mondays. Why can't it always be the weekend?"

Bruce laughed and shook his head. "That would be nice, but don't you think you'd get tired of being stuck with me and your brothers and sisters all the time?"

Peter looked up at him suspiciously, like it was a trick question. "Well, maybe them," he said hesitantly. "But not you," he finished with an earnest smile that wasn't hard for Bruce to return.

"Good. Because I wouldn't get tired of being stuck with you either," Bruce replied as he leaned over and kissed Peter on his head. "Now up and at it, little spider," he said, tweaking his nose gently and calling him by one of the many terms of endearment he used for his arachnid-obsessed son.

When he was done waking up Peter, he moved across the hall to the room shared by Natasha, Jane, and his youngest, Jemma. The six year old girl was already sat up wide awake in her bed, which was the bottom half of a bunk bed she shared with Jane, and reading softly to their dog, Hulk – a hilarious joke of a name as the dog was a three year old mostly pug and French bulldog mix they had adopted at the shelter a year before. Jemma was often an early riser, but she would stay in bed rather than get up and join her older siblings.

"Morning, daddy," she said when he came all the way into the room.

"Good morning, sweetheart," he said as he came over and saw what she was reading.

Unsurprising it was one of her advanced readers as the girl was already looking like she would have a very high IQ. He hunched down to push back one of her brown waves and kissed her on her forehead. She responded by wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and kissing him on his cheek.

"Can I finish this page?" She asked hopefully when she pulled away.

"Sure," he answered because she was nothing if not an adamant rule follower and if she set a rule for herself, such as just one more page, she followed it. "One more page and then get ready for school."

He moved back into the kitchen and made some more oatmeal and two more eggs while Peter and Jemma were getting ready. As much as he loved the chaos his older children could create, he also loved this quieter hour with his youngest two as they got ready, ate and then he took them to school, picking up his friends', Betty and Leonard, son on the way; in turn, Peter and Jemma carpooled and stayed with Betty after school since she didn't teach any afternoon classes this semester.

"Peter, do you have to have that thing at the table while you eat?" Bruce asked as the kids settled in for breakfast and he brought their plates and juice over to them.

He pointedly did not look at the tarantula. He sometimes wished he had signed the waiver at the beginning of the year saying he was arachnophobic, even if it wasn't technically true, so Peter would have been passed over to bring it home on occasion.

"He gets lonely," Peter responded and Bruce just shook his head and thanked the heavens that it was nearly the end of the school year and the last time the boy would have to bring it home.

 

* * *

 

"Thanks again for watching the kids," Bruce said after a lull in the conversation with Betty in the faculty lounge.

She glowered at him slightly. "If you say thank you one more time, Bruce Banner," she warned, playful and serious at the same time. He knew that tone well by now. "You know Leonard and I don't mind."

"I just don't know what the hell I was thinking when I agreed to speak in Germany." He shook his head and his fingers curled tighter around his coffee mug. "That's not like me. And even if it was, now's not the time."

"Now is precisely the time, Bruce," Betty countered. "You need to get your name back out there. You still don't know what you're going to do after the year is up, do you?" Her blue eyes were fixed on him sharply, knowingly.

She was referring to the budget cut at the university. Not only was the funding for the research program he'd been on being scrapped, he didn't have the tenure for them to keep him on as faculty compared to some of the others on the project, such as Betty. Now he had to figure out what to do before the start of the fall semester, as he was able to teach some interim courses.

He sighed and shook his head again. He crossed the short distance between them and sat down in the seat next to her. "I've got offers from Desert State and SUNY so far, but I'm just not sure. I'm not keen on going back to New Mexico if I don't have to." She looked at him sympathetically. "And, honestly, I can barely afford the place here on a professor's salary. I just… I don't know if that big of a move to either place would work out well. I like teaching I guess, but I really need a better paying job."

"Have you heard anything from Oscorp yet?" Betty asked.

"No." Working in a high dollar research and development facility would be ideal, but he hadn't had much hope for it.

"Well, they're not the only facility out there," she said gently.

He knew that, but he had hoped having known Norman and some of his other associates and scientists years prior would have helped matters. Then again, Norman had become reclusive by a lot of accounts so maybe he didn't even remember him.

"Hey, what about Stark Industries?" She said suddenly. "Their clean energy and sustainable living movement seems to really be picking up momentum. You've got tons of ideas about that. It doesn't hurt to try."

"Huh." Bruce was thoughtful for a moment. "I didn't consider Stark. I always forget the company's not just into tech and engineering anymore. I might look into that."

"You definitely should," Betty encouraged. "Just like you shouldn't fret about going to this conference. I know the timing is a bit of a strain on you with the kids and the looming uncertainty, but you need to show the Osborns and Richards and Starks that you've got just as much to contribute. You know you do."

Bruce pursed his lips and didn't reply right away. When he did he said, "It's not always a matter of knowing your own potential, Betty. Of course I know I have ideas to offer, but I don't need the ego or obsession that comes along with that." He closed his eyes and tried to shut out the memory. He opened them again when he felt Betty's reassuring hand on his arm. "I never want to be that person again."

"You couldn't if you tried," she said warmly. "You were just doing your job, Bruce. We both were. We've been through this. You had three kids and then a fourth, it was good pay, and you were the very best person for the job."

"Betty, I almost detonated it just to prove it would work," he replied sharply. "That was unbalanced, unstable, _dumb_. I could have destroyed everything. You could have been killed. I _would_ have been killed and then what would have been the point of taking the job for my kids in the first place?" He took several deep breaths to steady himself. "I thought I'd overcome all that need to prove myself and yet I hadn't. How do I know that won't happen again?"

"How do I know? Because you're older and wiser now, for one thing. You have seven kids, for another," she added with a laugh. He had to admit that was a good point. "But the main reason? Because you _didn't_ detonate that bomb." He furrowed his brow. "You could have given in to the ego, to the need to prove yourself right and get my father off of your back. But you didn't. You walked away and you weren't afraid to stand up to him when he tried to throw you under the buss. And then you got help from Leonard just to make sure you _weren't_ unstable. Bruce, what more do you want from yourself?"

He didn't know how to answer that right away so he took a few drinks of his coffee.

"Honestly, at the moment the only things I want are for my children. I want them to have opportunities and the things they want, not just what they need. I want to be the best dad I can be for them. That's what I want from myself."

"I hate to break it to you, but you already are the best you can be," Betty said softly.

"It doesn't feel like it," he countered. "Only Jane and Peter are okay with the idea of moving. Steve won't say it, but he hates the idea of moving to a new school for his senior year. Jakob doesn't mind that so much, but he _is_ going to miss his teams. Loren was finally starting to find his stride with his own friends. Natasha probably thinks I'm doing this to keep her away from James even if she'd never admit it." Betty laughed at that. "And poor Jemma. She's so quiet about it, but I found her in tears a few weeks ago and she said it was because when we move she'll never get to see Leo again." Leo was Betty and Leonard's son and Jemma's best friend.

"Aww, poor baby," Betty said with a genuine pout. "Leo isn't happy either," she confessed. "I'm fairly certain he's been under the impression he and Jemma were going to grow up and get married or something."

Bruce smiled thinly in spite of everything. "I think the feeling's mutual." He looked down at his old, but thankfully still trusty, watch and heaved a sigh as he stood to his feet.

"Bruce, everything will be okay," Betty said calmly. "You're an amazing father and I know you'll manage to make the right decision when the time comes. You know you have my support one hundred percent. If you need anything, just call." She smiled softly at him and he returned it.

"You know, sometimes I think it would be nice if it had been you and me. What if I hadn't been… Well, me." He shrugged.

She shook her head before standing to her feet and giving him a slightly awkward one-armed hug.

"Don't go playing the 'what if' game on that one because I can fill in the blanks for you right now. It would have been tumultuous. We would be confused why we made great friends, but horrible lovers. You wouldn't be able to give me what I need and I certainly wouldn't be able to give you what you need. We would be great in theory, but not all of the variables add up."

He snorted softly. "I think we know which variable is the one that messes up that equation."

She shook her head in admonishment. "It's not the only variable and you know that. I love you, Bruce and I love your family, but seven kids?" Betty raised an eyebrow at him. "There's no way I could have handled that and even if you were straight, if you didn't have those kids, you'd still be miserable with me."

He had to concede to that point. He couldn't imagine his life without any of them.

 

* * *

 

Bruce's head fell back on his shoulders at the sound of Thor and Loki arguing on the next aisle over at the department store. He looked at Jane, who was going over a checklist of items they still needed for their trip. "Think you can handle it?" She nodded and then rolled her eyes toward the other aisle. He wouldn't reprimand her for that sentiment.

"Why would I use that horrible product? It's absolutely disgusting and would make my hair look like I slathered it with lard," Loki said. His arms were crossed and his expression was as judgmental as his tone.

"You really should change your hairstyle," Thor replied. "I'm sure more girls would pay attention if you did."

"Has it ever occurred to you that I don't want girls to pay attention to me?" Loki countered.

Thor merely shrugged. "Well, if you're after boys exclusively now, they most definitely won't pay attention to you if you don't—"

"I didn't mean it like that!" Loki became irate and finally Bruce felt it necessary to step in. "You're such a simpleton!" Loki then spotted Bruce. "Father, please tell him that how I wear my hair is of no concern to anyone else, male or female."

Bruce swallowed a sigh. "Thor, how your brother wears his hair is of no concern to anyone else, male or female." He then paused and looked between them. "He actually does have a point there, Thor. He doesn't have to change himself physically to attract someone. And you haven't exactly been the height of brotherhood today. You didn't ask him if you could use his product, you didn't warn him after you accidentally took the rest of it, and now you're criticizing his personal choices. I love you, but you need to try to be a little more considerate. I know you think you're just trying to help him as you see fit with that last one, but he doesn't tell you to change your style. And if he does when I'm not around," Bruce added in warning, "then come to me about it. The point is, you're both very different people and that's okay. What isn't okay is making the other feel inadequate because of it. Also, not respecting each other's property is a problem that I don't want to see continue. Is that all understood?"

"Yes," they mumbled in unison. He was pretty sure it wouldn't be the end of their sibling squabbles. He wasn't naïve. But as long as there was peace for the time being, that's what mattered.

"Alright, since Steve is working tonight and Natasha has a date, how about we pick up Jemma and Peter and go out for dinner? Loki, I think fair's fair if you choose where we go. Within the budget of course," he added. The kids already knew the general budget and options and were good with complying.

Loki smiled at that and grabbed his preferred product off the shelf. "How about Korean?" Thor groaned and Bruce stifled a laugh at his younger son's creative retribution.

 

* * *

 

Bruce sat on the front stoop with a cup of chamomile tea watching as Peter and Jemma played with Hulk in the dwindling twilight. A motorcycle pulled into the end of the driveway a few minutes shortly after, Natasha's arms wrapped tightly around her boyfriend's waist until it was safe to get off. With a quick motion, she removed her helmet and what had previously been all black – black flats, black jeans, black leather jacket and black helmet – was brilliantly crowned with fiery red.

"Good evening, Dr. Banner," James Barnes waved at him from where they stood. "Sorry, we're a few minutes past curfew," he apologized. Curfew was 8:30 on school nights, but Bruce allowed a fifteen minute grace period before worried dad mode set in. "We didn't consider the movie's post credit scene," he explained needlessly, but Bruce appreciated the excuse and told himself not to check the internet to make sure the movie they went to see indeed had a post credit scene.

"It's fine," Bruce said, waving back at them. He then turned his attention back to Peter and Jemma so the two teens could share their goodnight kiss without a dad spying on them. "Peter, Jemma, time to head in and start getting ready for bed."

Jemma was the first to obey and came skipping back to the house, Hulk on her heels. "Daddy, will you read to me tonight? I want to know what happens next to Anne."

He smiled. "I think if you hurry and get ready there'll be time," he answered and she didn't hesitate to rush into the house. "You know if you follow your sister's example you could probably squeeze in some comic reading before lights out," he then said to Peter.

Peter responded with a horribly fake cough and he held his stomach dramatically as he came over, dragging his feet as he did. "I'm sick, dad. I think I got bit by a spider."

Bruce frowned. "That's not funny."

Natasha suddenly crept up behind him and picked him up. "He hasn't been bitten by a spider... Yet." She bared her teeth playfully at Peter.

"You're not a spider!" Peter said, squirming until she set him back down.

Bruce snorted and shrugged. "I don't know, Petey. I see a little resemblance to a black widow." He tilted his head studiously and she of course rolled her eyes. "Now in the house and ready for bed."

Peter opened his mouth to protest, but before he could Natasha said, "Maybe he wants to hear about my date."

Bruce laughed at the immediate change in his youngest son at the prospect. Peter grimaced and scurried into the house. Natasha sat down on the porch beside him then.

"So did you have fun?" He asked her after a moment. She hummed in response. "Riveting," he deadpanned and she smiled.

"The movie was good enough. One of those superhero flicks. Disappointing lack of female characters. The usual," she spouted in a clipped tone. "And at least I talked James out of the 3D. He said he'll go back with Steve and Thor and watch it that way this weekend."

"I'm sure Betty and Leonard won't mind you older ones getting out of the house," Bruce said with a laugh. The couple might have an extra bedroom to their three, but it would still be tight. "Is Loki going with you to your recital? Because I want someone there to record it if possible," he said. "Sorry I'm going to miss it."

His daughter turned her head and narrowed her eyes at him. "Dad, stop apologizing about that. It's okay. You've only missed like three of my recitals period. And even then we record them for you. I'm okay, honest. You know, you are allowed to have your own life, right?" She raised an eyebrow then.

"You'd be surprised how foreign a concept that can become when you're a parent," Bruce mused as he took a drink of his tea.

"That sounds like an excuse not to try. You haven't even been on a date in over a year, dad," she pointed out and he turned his head sharply at the sudden change of topic. "And I hate to say it, but if you keep putting it off, you're looking at not-so-prince charming prospects. You're almost 40."

Bruce laughed in spite of the offensive comment. "40 isn't the end of the world, Tasha. Even if it seems that way when you're 15. And maybe I'm happy being single. Did you ever consider that?" She looked at him incredulously and he shook his head. "What happened to my little girl who balked at Disney movies and said love is for children?"

She shrugged, but he thought he saw her lips quirk up a little in the dark that settled in around them. "We won't be kids forever, you know."

Bruce sighed. "Of course I know. Look, Tasha, I know you just want me to be happy, but you have to admit that now's really not the time for me to add a complication like dating to our lives. Why don't we see where we're at after the end of the summer first? Besides, it might surprise you to know that most of the men I've met run away when you say seven kids. And those that wouldn't, well, they probably still would after meeting this bunch," he said with a teasing smile.

"That's true," she replied with an amused snort. "But that's why you just make sure you at least make it to the third date first and then invite him over."

Bruce's eyes widened. "No, no we're not discussing the three date rule right now."

She laughed more openly at his discomfort. "Alright, then just join a dating site instead. That way they know right away what they're getting into."

"Okay, honey, I'm beginning to think you don't know your old man at all because a dating site is much too adventurous for me. And if you think I'm going to let some stranger show up when I have seven kids to worry about…" He grimaced a little just thinking about it. "Now are we done interrogating me about my love life because I promised your little sister I'd read to her," Bruce said, hoping to end the conversation.

"Fine, you're off the hook for now," Natasha said with a smirk as she stood. "But don't tell me, as much as you enjoy our company, you don't wish you could sit out here with someone closer to your own age that you care about every now and then."

Bruce sighed and hung his head. It had been nearly five years since his last steady relationship. "Yeah, sometimes, okay? I can admit I get lonely from time to time for companionship. Romance even. But, really, Natasha. It's not as bad as you think."

"Yield," she said, giving him a hug as she did before going back into the house.

He knew that she knew he wasn't being entirely honest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Bruce's work for Culver is strictly cellular repair and post working for the military with the funding still getting cut.  
> 2\. His work for the military still involved a bomb _he_ almost detonated to test out (mutilated nod to TIH and comics idk). This will be vaguely fleshed out in future chapters.  
>  3\. Idk why the hell I made Bruce a little freaked out by spiders tbh.  
> 4\. Obviously Marvel comics exist in this AU, but I guess maybe the characters' names are changed in their comics lol idk.


	3. Second Chance Encounters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Here's where we get some serious Maya/Tony canon divergence back story beginnings. They still meet in Bern only because her backstory was changed, she's not exactly the same Maya that Tony meets in IM3 and obviously he falls in love with her instead of just a one night stand. I actually really like Maya/Tony in theory, fight me.

"It's just like speaking to your students," Bruce mumbled to himself in the hallway outside the lecture hall he'd been allotted to. "Of course, your students are paying to learn and for you teach them and these people are already giants in the community and…" He sighed and shook his head. "No, no. You were invited. People want to hear what you have to say. Just focus."

Bruce took several breaths and paced back and forth some more. "What was I th—" Bruce ran into someone and nearly felt his heart stop.

He didn't dare look at the person's face; he only knew it was someone very decidedly male and well dressed and _oh god_ strong hands were on his arms to help steady him and this was certainly _not_ the time to be attracted to the male species. He kept his head ducked, cringing internally at his being clumsy and trying to calm his heart beating out of control from embarrassment; at least he was sure it was only embarrassment.

"Are you okay?" The hands let go of him and the body stepped back slightly which was the opposite of what Bruce wanted – _wait, what?_ The space around him became crowded instead with a silky timber that was _not_ helping.

"I, um… Uh, yeah… I'm sorry…" Bruce stammered and closed his eyes tightly in further embarrassment. "I'm going to, uh, just risk further embarrassment and go… Again, I'm very sorry." Bruce hurried into the lecture hall, still not making eye contact with the mystery man, as his flight response overwhelmed him.

Near the stage, he stopped and willed himself to calm down or else he would be useless during his lecture. As if he hadn't already been nervous. There was a tap to his shoulder and he turned to see an old colleague. He was grateful for the distraction.

Or at least he was until said colleague said in humor, "I saw your run-in out in the hall."

"So embarrassing," Bruce muttered and shook his head.

"Oh, I'm sure you're not the first person to get star struck over Tony Stark."

Bruce's eyes widened and he darted his eyes toward the door. Tony Stark was indeed standing there and looking at him. Bruce looked away again and quickly ran through his list of options. He could go grovel, but that seemed extreme. He could just go talk to the man and explain the situation like a mature adult, pointedly leaving out that he had been superficially attracted to his… uh… male presence. Or he could go on with the lecture and let things take its course and maybe with any luck not even run into him at all again and avoid any awkwardness. In the end, his flight response still spoke loudest at the moment.

Bruce finished speaking with his former colleague and then moved to the stage to focus on his lecture. As he gathered his notes, he glance out on the audience again and flinched slightly when he realized Stark had sat down front and center.

He told himself to remain calm. It was Tony Stark. The man would have sat front and center regardless. It was more or less one of the things he was known for. He came into a room and made sure to fill it with himself so nobody would leave it without knowing he was there.

Bruce quickly looked back at his notes when he realized he'd stared a few seconds too long.

He had a feeling he might be sick.

And he could go ahead and cross Stark Industries off his list of potential employment options. It was a shame really. He had submitted a portfolio and application on Tuesday. It was Thursday morning and already he had made the worst impression ever on the CEO of the company. It had to be some new lame record as he wasn't even sure anyone had _reviewed_ his application yet. Par for the course it seemed.

Bruce looked at his watch and decided it was probably as full as the room was going to get and that it was best to be prompt rather than allow for stragglers. It would also take his mind off of the situation. Or so he thought.

Throughout the course of the lecture, Bruce had a hard time keeping his eyes from straying to Tony Stark. He wasn't sure if it was the incident in the hall, the fact that he was front and center making him an easy focal point, or the fact that the man seemed genuinely interested in what he had to say. Stark was a genius and it was clear that he was following along with ease. Bruce mused he was probably already leapfrogging off of the information and advancing it in his mind while he listened. To collaborate with someone of Stark's genius, even if the man was more of an engineer than Bruce was, would be a fascinating experience no doubt.

Of course, thinking about what it would be like to collaborate with Stark only made him remember that he'd probably blown any chance of that ever happening by playing hit, stammer and run. Then again, he was giving a speech on clean energy and the man was now in the clean energy business so maybe, just maybe, he could redeem himself by attempting to prove what he lacked in people skills he could make up for in a lab.

 

* * *

 

Tony wasn't sure how long he stood near the entrance to the bar, staring at the backside of Dr. Bruce Banner's head. If Pepper or Happy had tagged along they both would have probably told him it had reached stalker levels of creepy.

He had read all of the man's papers after his article in that science magazine gotten his attention. He had sat in rapture when the man shared his brilliant theories on gamma radiation and its use in clean energy. He thought the man was clearly more brilliant than ninety-eight percent of the room, maybe even ninety-nine. And, honestly, he was about to make the man an offer to come bring that brilliance to Stark Industries where it belonged. He had maybe even followed him around the conference between his three scheduled lectures, and sat in on two of those said lectures – in the back the second time, waiting for an opportune moment to strike. So, yes, he was acting a little bit on the creepy side of professional interest.

Then again, that was maybe why he had yet to strike. Somewhere along the way it had stopped being professional interest. Pictures had been sparing and hadn't done justice. Sure he looked good, like a ruffled scientist, in those photos he had seen when reading his articles. But the man in real life was as attractive physically as mentally. There was something enigmatic about him that drew Tony in.

Pepper had been nagging him to go on more dates and suddenly Tony wasn't quite sure he could go over and talk to the nuclear physicist without that kind of question blurting out of his mouth. Hell, it had almost been on the tip of his tongue when he'd merely run into the man on accident on his way into the lecture hall. He had been absolutely stunned, dazed, not sure what had just happened as the physicist shied away just as much like a deer in headlights as Tony had felt. Tony couldn't get it out of his mind as he looked at the scientist at the bar. That moment was maybe when it had stopped being a professional interest.

At the very least Tony thought he should probably find out if the man was single and into men. And there was still the fact he wasn't sure how well 'Oh, hey, come work for me and maybe go on a date with me, by the way I have six kids' worked on fellow scientists.

After a few more moments, Tony finally managed to regain his, practically trademarked, 'Stark Strut' and make his way over to the bar, pointedly ignoring the siren call of an alcoholic beverage. Even if he hadn't been sober for the past four years, he would still want to be sober for this.

"You know, I don't approach just anyone at a bar these days so you should consider yourself special. Forgive me though if I don't join you for a drink."

The physicist startled a little, but didn't turn to face him. "Funny, I'm not accustomed to being approached by people at a bar so I might just wonder a little at your sanity. And you're forgiven as I don't drink. I'm just sitting here to avoid someone."

"Not me I hope," Tony offered, thinking of their awkward run-in.

"No, no…I…" Banner finally turned to acknowledge him, and Tony noticed a small intake of breath to steady him right before he did. "Oh my god, I'm talking to Tony Stark again," he said with an even tenor though his features betrayed that he knew that already and was attempting to play it off.

Tony smiled widely as he met with the man's chocolate-y eyes, round in disbelief and a slight hint of panic.

"Funny, that was sort of my reaction to talking with Dr. Banner." He held out a hand and Banner took it, though looking more surprised than before. Ignoring mentioning the previous run-in, he went straight to praising his work. "Your lecture was brilliant. As is all of your research. I have to say, you haven't been on my radar long, but I've quickly become a very big fan." He let go of Banner's hand a little reluctantly – which was odd even if the man was attractive. "In fact, I've been trying to get you alone – well not earlier because that was an accident – so I can extend an invitation for you to come put that brain of yours to work at Stark Industries. I think you'd be right at home in our R&D at Stark Tower. If you've got other offers, I will not hesitate to go over and beyond those prospects. Name the incentive you need to say yes to my offer and it's done."

Throughout his spiel the doctor seemed at a loss if his blinking eyes were any indication. Banner furrowed his brow. "I… Uh, I apologize for my manners," he finally said, regaining himself apparently. "I just wasn't expecting a job offer. Especially not after… Never mind. I actually submitted a portfolio and application to Stark Industries the day before yesterday."

It was Tony's turn to blink. "You're kidding? Well, that's…" Tony considered it. "…incredible timing. I guess you can consider it accepted," he added with a slight bark of laughter.

"You're serious?" The physicist looked at him incredulously.

"Very serious," Tony answered. "When I see talent that I want working for me, I pursue it diligently. Honestly, if you say yes, you might be my easiest recruit to date. You haven't even tried to negotiate yet," Tony pointed out as he leaned an elbow against the bar casually.

"Oh, well… You see, I'm not…" The man tripped over his words for a moment much like before – it was endearing really – before letting out a breath. "I'm actually very much in need of a new job. I'm working with Culver University until no later than the end of July."

"Let me guess, research funding cut? Faculty out on their ears?" Tony had heard the stories time and time again.

Banner sighed and nodded. "Yes. My only other offers have been from other universities, but I've been hesitant to accept because I really could use better income – especially if I'm going to relocate." Tony furrowed his brow. He hadn't read anything about the man having a family, since the man really didn't have a detailed personal biography, but usually that kind of statement meant family from what he'd dealt with in the past. "I put in an application at Oscorp first, but—"

"No, no, no," Tony cut him off. "You obviously belong at Stark Industries. You're into clean energy. We're into clean energy. So, tell me. What kind of income would induce you to relocate to Manhattan?" Tony may or may not have posed the question to get a better idea of the man's status, but nobody else needed to know that.

Banner's mouth opened slightly and his tongue moved slowly to wet his lips and he looked down as if mulling it over. "Honestly, and I'm not expecting you to accommodate this," he hedged, "my major concern would be relocation costs and enough salary to afford a new home in a nice enough area for my, uh… seven kids."

Tony would like to say his eyes didn't bug out, but they did and he straightened up immediately. "Seven? Wow, I… Beat me by one," he opted for a joke.

Banner blinked. "Oh, oh right." Then he smiled. "You do have six kids don't you? And…" Then the smile fell. "Oh. Uh, my very late condolences," he offered genuinely and Tony couldn't help but smile softly at the gesture.

"Thank you," he offered genuinely in return. There was a moment of silence before Tony broke it again, still a little flabbergasted. "So, wow. Seven kids? No wonder you don't want to move without incentive." Tony studied him carefully and tried to imagine the scenario. "Hell, I'm kind of wondering how you're managing it at Culver. Unless your partner makes a reasonable income?"

Banner huffed out a laugh. "With a lot of budgeting and bedroom sharing, believe me. And the cost of living isn't as high as it is in New York or New Mexico, which is where my concern lies given my job offers." Then he paused. "And actually it's just me."

Tony's eyes widened again; he was certain he was probably beginning to look like a cartoon character. "Just… _you_? I… I'm awed. I have six kids and billions of dollars at my disposal so I honestly couldn't imagine budgeting for seven and working a full time career as a university researcher _and_ professor. Kudos, Bruce. Can I call you Bruce? Or do you prefer Robert or–"

"It's Bruce," the physicist replied. "And thank you. It's not an easy job, but we make do. Of course, I wouldn’t mind making do with a little more income," Bruce added with a small laugh.

"I'll bet." Tony also laughed. "Not to cross some line, but if condolences are in order… I'd like to extend them as well."

Bruce's brow furrowed for a moment as if confused by the sentiment before they widened in clarity. "Oh, uh, thank you for the thought, but no. They're adopted. Well, five are. Two are mine by surrogacy."

Tony was perfectly aware a normal person might have backed away slowly and then made a very quick exit. In fact, he could tell by Bruce's body language that many had probably done as such. He knew firsthand how that could be. But Tony was not normal by any definition of the word and the idea of a single man choosing to raise seven children on top of being breathtakingly brilliant was absolutely intriguing. So a wide smile spread across his face instead.

"Well, then, from one single father to another, you have absolutely nothing to worry about in moving or affording a home for your family should you accept the offer to come work for Stark Industries. Obviously I don't expect you to decide right here and now. I'll have our hiring department send you all of the usual information for you to look over."

Bruce gaped a little. "And to think I almost backed out of coming." He laughed nervously, looking away.

"Huh. Ironically, I wasn't planning on coming at all and changed my mind Friday." It was a little bizarre, but it apparently had worked out in the physicist's favor and SI's as well if he were to accept the job offer.

Their eyes met again and the urge to ask the somewhat stranger on a date returned. Tony, however, stamped it back down. Even he knew that it would be an extra special level of crazy, no matter how much he was in awe of the other man or found him physically attractive, to ask a man out who he had just learned had as many kids as his own with an extra to spare. On the bright side, he could tell they would at least be friends given their commonality, both being obvious geniuses and single fathers.

"Oh no," Bruce suddenly mumbled and looked past his shoulder.

"What? The person you were hiding—" Tony turned quickly and was shocked to see Reed Richards heading their way. "Oh no is right," he muttered back before reaching for a media smile. "Surprise to see you here, Reed. Energy and tech isn't really your thing is it?"

Reed blinked several times and Tony could just read the 'everything is my thing' retort in his eyes. "That makes two of us. I wasn't aware you did the conference scene anymore, Tony." Tony's smile fell and he looked around uncomfortably. He had honestly been doing well since Dr. Banner's lecture, but he didn't like being reminded specifically of his issue with conferences. "I mean, I'm glad to see you around of course, but—"

"Are you here because of Susan's interest in energy?" Bruce suddenly asked and Tony got the distinct impression the physicist had picked up on his cues.

"Well, yes and no, Dr. Banner. I'm always invited to these things which would be exhausting, but I make it a point to come to all of the major ones." Tony only just managed to stop himself from rolling his eyes. "But, yes, Sue was particularly interested in this one."

"Right," Bruce said and he sounded just as exasperated as Tony felt in Richards' presence. "So, how are Val and Franklin?"

Reed smiled and Tony couldn't begrudge him that. "Great! They actually have a booth over in the junior conference." That he begrudged for five seconds before realizing it was partially his fault Skye's technical genius hadn't quite flourished yet. "In fact, I was just coming over here to let you know I met with your daughter like you asked." Tony looked over at Bruce to see if the comment was still directed toward him.

"Oh? Thank you. I appreciate it," Bruce said.

"Not a problem. I like making the rounds and inspiring the kids in the junior conferences. You have quite the future astrophysicist on your hands if I'm not mistaken, Dr. Banner."

Tony wasn't sure what he was more focused on – his surprise over Reed's actual compliment toward somebody else's kid or the way Bruce's face lit up at the compliment to his daughter. He almost looked like a completely different person and Tony briefly wondered if that's what he looked like when someone praised his own kids. If so it was an attractive look and it was a miracle Tony didn't get accosted whenever it happened on top of his already highly praised sex-appeal, he mused with _slight_ egotism.

"I thought I saw your daughter too, Tony," Reed then said. "Is she still your tech protégé?"

Tony smiled sharply to avoid a scowl. "She is. She's good enough she could probably rig up this stuff and run it in a van."

"That's nice. I guess we can look forward to seeing her with a booth someday then," Reed said and Tony couldn't tell if it was genuine or not so he accepted it as such and let his smile soften. "Well, speaking of kids. Almost dinner time. I'll see you both around." Then the man left.

"I wish I could like that guy," Bruce said once they were alone again and Tony couldn't help the way his smile broadened. He looked over at the physicist and couldn't help but think he was somehow infinitely more attractive than he had been before making that statement.

"I'm sure you got a clear indication of my feelings," Tony replied with a snort.

He was even a little irritated that Bruce had somehow been on Reed's radar before his own. He was doubly irritated that Richards had done absolutely nothing about it.

"Yeah, I did." Bruce nodded. "Well, I'm going to go pick up my daughter so…"

"I'm heading that way too," Tony said, jumping at the opening regardless of if that was Bruce's intention. The physicist didn't object though.

As they headed for the other pavilion, he noticed the concerned sideways glance Bruce gave him and had a pretty good idea that the other genius had put the pieces together as to why he didn't do conferences.

"I met my wife at a conference," Tony explained. Bruce gave a small nod. "So it hasn't been easy coming to these things since her death. In fact… This is my first since before I lost her."

"Dr. Maya Hansen, right?" Bruce queried and Tony gave his own small nod. "I read some of her college papers on genetic engineering. The project that just got de-funded at Culver was actually in regards to cellular repair and protection. A lot of dead ends, but your wife's research was fascinating groundwork. That said I completely understand why she would give it up on ethical grounds."

"Well…" Tony hesitated, but then admitted, "It's a little more complicated than that." He left it at that for now as it wasn't an easy back story to recount, not even as a secondhand informant.

"I can understand that too," Bruce replied and there was a good deal of conviction in his voice. "But either way she seemed like a very intelligent woman. And she must have been pretty amazing since I seem to recall Tony Stark was a wild child until around the time you took over your father's company."

Tony chortled. "Uh, yeah. I'm pretty sure everyone recalls my reputation. I hate to admit it, but that's essentially what I expected Maya to be." Before he could even stop himself from the spiel, since most people didn't ask about it, he started with: "It was Bern, New Year's Eve—"

"1999?" Bruce interrupted.

"Yes," Tony said, though it sounded more like a question.

"Huh. I almost went to that conference too. I was actually in the city, helping a Dr. Ho Yinsen at a local hospital, but there were extenuating circumstances and I decided to forego my… attendance. What?" Bruce clearly saw the way Tony's eyes had gone wide.

"That is incredibly coincidental," Tony said, looking at him in slight disbelief. "I actually met Dr. Yinsen at that convention. Probably should have known right then that Maya was different because I intended to blow him off in favor of... Well." He held up his hands guiltily.

"I think I can follow," Bruce said with a laugh.

"Yeah, but she wasn't having it and instead of chasing down the next available prospect, I stayed," Tony said with a fond smile as he recalled that night. "Sure, I still figured on just leaving her in the morning, but… She was talking with Dr. Yinsen and there was just something I couldn't take my eyes off of. She was so vibrant and wide eyed and had these, these _theories_ ," he gesticulated, "even though she'd been hurt by science before. It made me feel a little empty. Like the first 23 years of my life I had absolutely nothing until she came along. That I was living for nothing…"

Tony paused and stared off into the corners of his mind before continuing. "Dr. Yinsen pulled me aside right before I went back to my suite with Maya and told me that I would be a fool if I wasted my life and I _knew_ he wasn't just talking about my aimless living and lack of interest in my father's company. He must have seen what I was feeling before I figured it out."

"Sorry I missed it," Bruce said softly and Tony felt himself pulled from his reverie with a stutter of his heart.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Sounds like it would have been nice to have heard her talk and maybe even watch the infamous Tony Stark fall in love," Bruce offered with a small smile.

Tony opened his mouth to say something, anything, or maybe nothing at all; he wasn't sure. However, a girl with long brown hair came flying towards them and flung herself at Bruce. He gave a small _oomph_ that was certainly more adorable than it had any right being.

"Dad! I met Reed Richards!" The exuberant girl said.

"Did you?" Bruce looked down at his daughter lovingly and Tony had to smile.

"Mhm! But guess who else is here! Guess!" Bruce opened his mouth to do so, but didn't get a chance. "Tony Stark!" Tony practically choked on air at the surprise. "I met his daughter, Skye. She's so, so, so nice! She said maybe we can meet him! Wouldn't that be amazing?"

Bruce's lips quirked up into what looked like a playful smile. "You know, I think it would be pretty amazing."

Tony smiled in amusement and tried not to read too much into how flirtatious that had sounded.

"I think it would be amazing to meet you too," Tony announced himself to the girl whose vision was clearly tunneled by excitement since she hadn't already noticed him.

She startled and turned to look at him before her amber colored eyes widened like a fawn's. "It's… You're…" She looked back at her dad. "Dad, you already know him?" She seemed just as in awe of that fact as anything else.

Bruce chuckled. "Getting there." Then Bruce looked at him. "Mr. Stark, this is my daughter Jane."

"Happy to meet you, Jane. I hear you're on your way to being a brilliant astrophysicist." Her mouth fell open and he smiled.

"Oh, hey. That was easy," Skye said coming over, Sam right behind her. "I was going to ask you to meet Jane here, but I guess now I don't have to." She shrugged.

"Dr. Banner, this is my daughter Skye."

"Ahem. Uncle T?" Sam looked at him with a teasing grin.

"Right, right. And this here is my best friend's son, Sam. I'm his legal guardian. He sometimes stays with me. So sometimes I have seven kids," Tony gabbled and saw Bruce's eyebrows meet with his forehead in surprise.

"Well, nice to meet both of you," Bruce said then.

"I was actually going to ask if Jane could come hang out with us in our massive hotel suite for dinner, but since we all know each other now…" Skye prompted and Tony got the hint.

"Would you and Jane like to come back to our suite for dinner?" He asked the physicist. "The kids would love it."

Bruce smiled thinly. "Sure."


	4. Pictures and Back Story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here comes a clusterfuck of canon backstory mutilation and absolutely made up stuff (e.g. Bruce wasn't rescued from the failed bomb situation by General Ross, rather a kind judge that led to his being able to settle down sooner in this story). I'm serious, it's pretty cracky and there's a lot of the "this isn't how real life/the system" works. Also sorry for all of the exposition. That's really all this chapter is. This chapter is also the heaviest in terms of trigger warnings. I'm very serious, it pulls from the typical violence that exists in comics and includes murder, child abduction, child abandonment, and more. _Please_ take care of yourself ♥
> 
> Detailed/Spoiler-y TW: 1. Maya is young/naive (talking 19-21 age range, because all these geniuses in comics accelerating through college) and used/abused by Killian and there is a dubcon pregnancy for the purpose of unethical experimentation on a baby. 2. Pregnant!Maya is attacked and kills Killian in self-defense, Clint is born deaf in left ear because of this 3. Bruce's domestic abuse past including murder of his mother in front of him and feelings of guilt that it was his fault. 4. Bruce built a bomb and was suicidal and attempting to murder his bullies. And part of his bullying was for being gay. 5. Tony partly blames himself for Stane snapping and Maya's death 6. Discussion of orphaned/abandoned children of immigrants 7. Bullying of children by peers 8. Steve back story: a sick mother refusing to terminate and child being born sickly 9. Thor & Loki back story: extreme premature birth, death in childbirth and father abandoning children 10. use of Jennifer Walters' origin story including crime ring and fatal shooting 11. Natasha back story: murder of a girl's parents, the abduction of a girl for implied horrible purposes, a child being protected as a witness, therapy... jeez pretty much Natasha's backstory just sucks okay I'm sorry 12. Peter's back story: fatal home break in

Bruce smiled as he watched Jane from across the expanse of the luxurious hotel suite as she played a video game of some sort with Skye and Sam.

"Does she have a lot of friends?" Tony asked, breaking through his thoughts. He turned and looked at the man sitting at across from him at the square dinette.

Bruce shook his head. "Not really. She has a few, but not really many she can really talk to about her interests which are mainly science," he said with a small laugh. "In case you haven't noticed. That's why I brought her along. I think she needed this. To see that there are others who share her, uh, obsession."

Tony gave a nod of understanding. "I remember those days. Especially as an only child. Not that it always means much. Skye has a younger sister that's good at robotics, but their personalities are a little different. They're at that clashing age, I guess," he said with a shrug. "And one of my sons is pretty good with engineering, but he's 9 so you can imagine the lack of similar interests there," he added. "But they do go to a great school, S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy that approaches learning based on interests. There's the core of course, but the kids get to focus on their interests with other students interested in the same. It helps."

"I've heard of S.H.I.E.L.D. actually," Bruce replied. "I was looking into it as a potential school when I was considering the SUNY position. Seems like a very nice school, but was out of my tuition range unfortunately."

"Well, I don't think that would be a problem now if you're still interested," Tony said in reference to the position he'd offered Bruce no doubt. "I would at least recommend it for Jane if she's your scientist."

"I have two others who are into science, Peter and Jemma. But one is eight and the other is six so they're not exactly where Jane is," Bruce commented as he looked back over at Jane.

"You know, I'm fascinated by how you came to have seven kids. Must be a hell of a story," Tony said, taking him by surprise.

Bruce snorted as he looked back. "It is. Some people don’t quite believe me when I tell them. But…" He hesitated. "I'd actually love to hear about your kids too. You've done a great job keeping them out of the media so I'm sure people don't always quite grasp the visionary magnate vs. the father, am I right?"

Tony smiled so he knew he was right. "I have an entire legal team just for making sure the press plays nice. I like to call the shots on most of what gets shared. Doesn’t always go well, of course. It was… There were a lot of problems after my wife died and then again when…"

"I've read the stories," Bruce offered when it was clear Tony was struggling.

He did recall the stories and the tabloid spreads. Tony Stark had been accused of being an unfit father, something Bruce was familiar with, with problems ranging from PTSD to alcohol abuse. He couldn't begin to imagine what that must have been like. He couldn't be sure he wouldn't have fallen to pieces in a similar situation. He shivered slightly at the very real fear that he might have become violently angry in that scenario.

"I'm sorry," Bruce offered weakly.

"No, I'm sorry. I'm still sorry that I almost got to the point where I couldn't hold onto them. That would have been the end for me I think."

"But it wasn't and you didn’t," Bruce said reassuringly, admiring Tony's conviction. "So why don't you tell me all about them if you're up to it."

Tony smiled in clear gratitude. "Okay, but I have to warn you," he said as he reached for his elaborate phone, that Bruce knew was probably his own model called a Starkphone, "the spiel comes with photos."

Bruce laughed at that, but the amount of trust from the, by all accounts, guarded man was not lost on him. "Well, if you still want to hear about my kids when you're done, so does mine. I have one of those obnoxiously excessive photo wallets."

"Nice." Tony did something with the phone and, to Bruce's slight surprise, the screen projected upward into a holographic screen. He recalled that being a feature and he knew the Starkpads in the labs at Culver did that, but this was his first encounter with the phone up close. It was truly remarkable. "You're drooling over my tech," Tony said knowingly and Bruce flushed guiltily. "No, no. That's the kind of reaction I like. Okay, so this is my oldest, Clint. He's 16." Bruce studied the picture of the sandy haired boy. "The second thing that should have tipped me off that Maya was different was that she already had a kid and I didn't go running for the hills."

"Oh?" Bruce couldn't hide his slight surprise at that. The Tony Stark he had heard about back in his college days would definitely have run for the hills. "So he wasn't quite a year old yet then when you met her?"

Tony smiled as if pleased by his easy deduction. "Seven days shy of a year actually. You can imagine my surprise when she told me. The story still makes me furious. That project she was working on that you mentioned…" Bruce's eyes widened, wondering where he could possibly go with that point. "The head of an old think tank called Advanced Ideas Mechanics was interested in that research and wanted a guinea pig. Wanted to test it on a newborn." Bruce's breath hitched and he clenched a fist. "Yeah. Exactly. See, Maya, didn't know that at the time. So when she was lured into getting involved with him and he got her pregnant she didn't realize what was really going on. She was preparing for grad school, still very young obviously, and naïve. But the guy got sloppy and Maya intercepted intel that he was planning on weaponizing a drug she was working on with the research and selling it to the highest bidder, terrorists included. When she tried to leave and take the research with her—"

"Oh god." Bruce suddenly felt his chest tighten and pain bloom down his arms. He took several breaths and Tony looked at him in concern. "Oh god, I'm sorry… I… It's just my mother was…" He bent his head down and took several more breaths.

"Jeez, I'm sorry. I didn't even think… I mean, I didn't know, but I shouldn't have just started spouting off about this. I… I have nightmares sometimes about it so I really should have known better," Tony was rambling and Bruce listened to each word, grabbing for the other man's warm voice for grounding. "I'm sorry. I won't say anything else," the genius said as Bruce found his stability again.

"No, it's… I just wasn't expecting it. So that's why she gave up the research. Please tell me this guy isn't still out there." Bruce looked at him in slight dread.

"He injected her with the drug. It could have killed her and our son. Clint was born deaf in his left ear. Needless to say the guy would have been doing life in prison if she hadn't shot him. It was clear self defense."

Bruce breathed out a sigh of relief. He didn't like the idea of people being killed for a lot of personal reasons, but in this case he was glad that Dr. Hansen had had the opportunity to protect herself and her son and get away. He still wished his own mother had been as lucky.

"And also needless to say," Tony continued, "she wasn't exactly _as_ starry-eyed after that. But she was a fighter. She destroyed the majority of the research, save the theoretical papers like you read, and then made it her new agenda to promote stronger ethics in science. She wouldn't let what happen to her stand for nothing. She wanted to help people, not destroy them."

There was a pause in the conversation. "Was she the reason for the Stark Industries shut down of weapons manufacturing?" Bruce then asked curiously.

"Not entirely. I was already on the fence after taking over my father's company. I was trying to make our company more accountable, weapons more precise to reduce civilian casualties. But it still didn't sit right with me when I was sober, you know? She supported me and was the grounding force I needed to follow my gut." Tony then sighed. "Of course, had I realized that Obadiah Stane would grow to resent that decision until he finally just snapped, I just… I don't know if I would have done it."

Bruce looked down at the table and frowned. He didn't know what to say to that. He could say something callous like, 'Oh well, I'm sure your wife wouldn't have wanted it any differently' or he could say something sympathetic like, 'I'm sorry that she had to die for that cause' but it all seemed futile. The man had lost the love of his life and the mother of his children because of greed and the worst side of scientific progress. There was no way to soothe that away.

"I've been there," he finally said instead. "I mean, not there specifically. But wondering if you shouldn't have chosen differently or wishing there was just something you could have done to prevent someone you love from a fate they don't deserve." He took a deep breath. "My father killed my mother. Right in front of me. I was eight years old."

Tony's eyes widened in horror. " _Fuck_. Seriously? I mean, no, not seriously, but… God, that's horrible."

"It is. And all because she was trying to leave him so he wouldn't be able to hurt us anymore. Honestly, sometimes I think had I just run away like I'd wanted to so many times, things would have turned out differently. It was me he hated, not my mom. He used to call me all kinds of names like freak and monster just because I was so smart." Bruce sighed before pressing on, trying to avoid Tony's intense gaze. "You can imagine I was a pretty troubled kid after all of that. I was angry, wanted to kill others, kill myself. It wasn't pretty. I decided to use my genius to build a bomb when I was sixteen. I was going to detonate it in the basement of my school. I wanted to kill every single person who had ever called me a freak or a monster or a fa—" He shook his head, cutting himself off from that particular slur. It didn’t bear repeating with kids in the suite. "I just couldn't take it anymore. Thankfully, the bomb didn't go off."

"That's some heavy shit for a kid to deal with," Tony said when he paused. "My childhood wasn't great, trust me. But it wasn't anything like that. I'm glad you made it to the other side because nobody deserves that and clearly you least of all."

Bruce blinked. "That's not usually how people react to that story. I… I don't actually go around telling that story at all. The records are sealed since I was a minor and I got lucky with a caring judge. Given the situation and my history, I was put through therapy and ordered to do intense community service. That's really what helped me. Helping other people instead of hurting them. I realized I had a choice. I can't always control what happens, but I can control my reactions. I didn't have to be my father. I didn't have to be the monster I felt doomed to be."

"Glad it worked out," Tony offered.

"Well, I can't say it was perfect after that. I nearly slipped up again several years later when I was working for the military post-grad, but I won't bore you with that and it's not anything that can't be found with a little digging. Also I just realized here you're supposed to be spieling about your kids and I'm spilling my guts about my troubled past instead. Sorry."

"Nope. Don't apologize. And for the record, I don't think any less of you because of that," Tony said and he sounded so earnest that Bruce blinked again. "Hey, I get it. I'm in no position to think less of you. And I sure as hell wouldn't call you a monster. It's a shame we weren't friends sooner," he then said so casually that Bruce almost wasn't sure he hadn't imagined it.

Then as if nothing had just happened, no somber derailment of the conversation, the holographic screen changed and Skye's picture was there. "Well, you've met Skye so I guess the picture is unnecessary, but she's the second oldest." Tony glanced over towards Skye with an endearing smile. "Mine and Maya's first together. She's turning 14 in July. God help me."

Bruce laughed in spite of everything or maybe because he needed to laugh after all of that and Tony just had this way about him that encouraged laughter… among other things, he realized with growing dread.

"I have a 15 year old daughter. I can relate," he said, pushing that thought aside.

Tony winced. "Maybe you can give me some pointers." The image changed again to a boy and a girl. "These are the twins, Pietro and Wanda. They're 12. Wanda is the one that's good with robotics. Pietro, he's my thrill seeker. They're adopted, but they might as well have been ours as much as they took after us in different ways."

"Oh?" Their having been adopted interested Bruce for obvious reasons. "Domestic or foreign?"

"They're Sokovian, but it was a domestic adoption since they were born here," Tony answered. "Back in 2003, Maya and I funded a children's asylum for the orphaned and abandoned children of immigrants or deported parents in my mother's name. We visited for, well, for publicity purposes and the twins were part of the first group of children taken in. Their mother had come over from war-ravaged Sokovia, having lost her husband, and was staying in another asylum, but she died shortly after the children were born. Wanda and Pietro were about seven months old and the director of the home said there was interest in them individually, but none yet for both of them together."

Bruce nodded in understanding. "They were likely going to be separated and you couldn't have that."

Tony smiled. "Not at all. I wasn't as sure of course. We already had Clint and Skye and then as luck would have it in the middle of the adoption process Maya became pregnant with our fifth child." He shook his head in amusement. "But I'm glad Maya wouldn't take my uncertainty for an answer."

"I'm sure," Bruce said knowingly. Tony's enthusiasm about his children was endearing. It was such an unexpected side of the man and Bruce decided right then and there he was the kind of man he would like to work for.

"So then that brings us to the fifth." A new picture came onto the screen. "Darcy, my second with Maya. She'll be 11 next month. She's my little ball of energy. She just got glasses on Saturday," he said pointing to the screen, "and apparently it's the end of the world." Bruce snorted and self-consciously moved a hand to his own glasses. "I'm half expecting there to be an," he air quoted, "'accident' before I get back home."

Bruce laughed again. "Well, she has my empathy," he said. "But at least they have better frames now than when I was a kid."

"She had her heart set on contacts."

"Ah. The four eyes thing?" Tony nodded. "Then she definitely has my empathy." Tony suddenly smirked and Bruce wasn't sure why, but something about it made him squirm. Maybe it was the unreadable gleam in Tony's eyes. "So, uh… Then there was one?"

Tony nodded again and the picture changed. "This is Harley. He's 9. Also mine and Maya's. He's something else. He's my engineer. He's not as into robots as Wanda is, but he can still manage all kinds of other gadgets and he likes helping me with my cars in the garage. He's also my troubled child at the moment," Tony added with a slight sigh. "His principal suspects bullies."

Bruce frowned. "Well, I'm sorry to hear that. But at least he seems to be in a good environment to deal with it. You obviously care about your kids."

"Sometimes I feel like I'm treading water," Tony confessed and sounded like he meant it and was begging for a helping hand.

Bruce tried to squash the urge to reach across the table and offer that helping hand. The man was as attractive in real life as the magazines had always insisted; only it was so much more than physical. Yes, the man was achingly handsome, the kind of handsome that made Bruce take careful precaution not to openly admire his appearance lest it make Tony uncomfortable. There'd been enough of that when he'd run into him earlier that morning.

But beyond the physical, the man was brilliant, as the whole world knew, seemingly kindhearted in spite of the self-confidence and ego and riches, and above all a loving father. It almost felt like he'd fallen into some impossible romance novel. Natasha's taunts about his finding a prince charming rang in his ears because Tony Stark, the man as a whole and not just the media image, was certainly close to how Bruce could imagine a prince charming. And that was a little dangerous to consider.

"I think I understand that feeling," he said, pushing aside his attraction and picking up the thread of conversation. "Some days you can only do so much before it just gets to be overwhelming. Some days you just feel like you're not getting through or you're not doing well enough. It's hard."

"That's exactly it," Tony replied. "I haven't met many people who get that."

Bruce smiled. "What? No other geniuses out there with six kids?"

Tony smiled back and Bruce thought it was just a little too blinding. "No. Apparently seven is the new six. That's why I kidnapped Sam over there."

"I heard my name!" Sam shouted back and they both laughed. "Seriously, better not be talking about me unless you're praising my devilish good looks and track record. Hey, by the way, kind of getting hungry over her."

"Yeah, dad! Did you order the pizza yet?" Skye called over next and Bruce looked over to see the shake of Tony's head.

"We're in Germany, I'm a billionaire, I could literally afford anything and they still want pizza."

Bruce had to admit it was rather amusing. "I guess it's nice to know that wealth doesn't change everything. Pizza is universal," he said with a quirk of his lips and Tony laughed. It was a nice laugh.

 

* * *

 

The pizza finally arrived and the video game was paused just long enough for the kids to eat at least one slice at the table before heading back over to play. Tony explained to Bruce his preference that the kids at least eat some of their meal at the table when he was around since that was something Maya had been into. Bruce just smiled and said it sounded like a nice tradition and eating together was something he encouraged too whenever possible.

"Maybe it's just me, but pizza in a luxurious hotel suite in Germany does taste a little nicer," Bruce said with dry wit once the kids hurried back over to their game.

Tony snorted. "It does, doesn’t it?" He had to admit to himself that there was something equally gratifying in sharing that kind of unique luxury with someone else his own age for a change, someone who wasn't freaked out by the kids and the back story. "So, I think you still owe me pictures and back story," he said then as it occurred to him.

Bruce smiled thinly. "Okay, well, brace yourself. It's gripping stuff," he said and Tony also had to admit he could get used to the other man's sense of humor. "Before I turned into the angsty teenager and then again after I got over that, I always wanted to be a father because, well… It might have been Freudian. Not sure."

"A sort of fuck you to your own father?" Tony guessed.

"Pretty much. I even dated this wonderful girl my first couple years of college. She's still my best friend. I was finally on the up and up and I started wanting the rosy sort of life as a family man with a nice house. That sort of thing. The only problem, it wasn't with her. Or, well, any her." He shrugged. "And I hadn't really found a him that I wanted that with at that point so I figured the whole family man thing would have to be put on hold. Figured it was just as well since I was planning on going for my doctorate."

Bruce paused and took a drink of the fancy brand of bottled water the suite was stocked with. Then he continued. "It was the summer of 1998. I decided to work under a Dr. Abraham Erskine in his humanitarian clinic in Brooklyn. I was interested in working with him because he had also done some research on cellular repair which is what my Master's Thesis had been about. While working with him a sickly woman came into his clinic in labor. Dr. Erskine called for an emergency OB, but she was already close to giving birth so he delivered the baby before the other doctor got there."

"Sounds a little like a nightmare," Tony interjected.

"The medical system is in general, yes," Bruce said with sigh. "She probably didn't have insurance and was afraid to go to the hospital and she didn't want to terminate in spite of being sick. She died shortly after from complications, but not without begging for someone to take care of the baby since she had no family and for Dr. Erskine to do anything to save him. The general things you'd expect a dying mother to say." Bruce's matter-of-fact tone told Tony that he'd clearly seen a lot of that sort of thing in his time doing humanitarian work that Tony had never truly seen firsthand for all of his philanthropy. "The baby, Steven, he was very sickly. Dr. Erskine worked closely with the OB and the first two weeks it seemed like he might not make it. He lived, but he was still very sickly in his early years. There was a lot of medicine and physical therapy."

Tony listened to the man recount the story and finally he had to ask. "So where do you fit in?" He could tell by the emotion on his face that Steve was one of his kids.

"I was afraid that whatever children's home that took Steve wouldn't give him the intense medical care he desperately needed and Dr. Erskine couldn’t keep him under his care indefinitely without legal guardianship or permission from the state. I had been helping out and had already gotten attached to the baby so I decided to try my luck applying for legal guardianship as a foster parent. The judge granted it given the special circumstances. I postponed my doctorate for a few years and stayed in New York so Steve could remain under Dr. Erskine's care, which I think was really the key in his getting better. In the meantime I got another Master's at Empire State University and started trying to make some connections in the scientific community. I already had several philanthropic ideas, but that requires funding and…"

"Nepotism," Tony said knowingly.

He was a product of it himself. He had hated how much of his own genius was constantly weighed against his father's. He had hated not knowing if people treated him the way they did because of his genius or because of his last name.

"That's how I ended up in Bern the following year. As Dr. Ho Yinsen's guest."

"Or almost guest," Tony reminded him.

"Aha, yeah. And sons two and three are part of the reason I didn't make it," Bruce elaborated and Tony blinked in surprise. "I left Steve in Dr. Erskine's care and traveled to Bern. There I met Dr. Yinsen at an orphanage he was offering pro bono care at for a few weeks while he was in the city. There were two brothers, Jakob and Loren. Jakob was born strong and healthy, but his mother had become pregnant again too soon and it was a difficult pregnancy. She gave birth to Loren four months prematurely. She didn't make it and the boy almost didn't either. The father abandoned them at the hospital which is how they ended up at the orphanage. The day I was there with Dr. Yinsen, Loren fell dangerously ill. He wasn't a year old yet and still very small and sickly. I just couldn't leave him." Bruce gave a broad shrug of his hands. "So I told Dr. Yinsen to go on to the conference once Loren was stable again and I would come find him if Loren regressed. He didn't regress thankfully and I filed for adoption the next day for both of them. It was definitely one of my more spontaneous decisions. But it worked out."

"You weren't kidding when you said your story's a little hard to believe," Tony finally had to say. It sounded like something straight out of fiction. It was even more intriguing than Tony could have imagined.

"Even I can't believe it sometimes. I wanted kids, but I never expected to become the father of three boys within two years." Bruce shook his head and there was a break in the conversation as they seemed to recall their pizza at the same time.

"So what made you want four more? Did you catch an adoption bug? Or was there someone else in your life at some point who wanted kids with you?" Tony knew he was firing off questions at the speed of light, but he was genuinely curious.

Bruce gave a small, somewhat self-depreciating smile. "No, I've never been too lucky in the romance department I'm afraid. I've had a few steady relationships, but at the end of the day, they just never seemed as invested in my kids as I thought they should be or it just wasn't really right between us in other ways. Even had one guy I'd been seeing for a few months break up with me because I was considering adopting another kid."

"Guy must have been an idiot," Tony offered and meant it. "Hope he didn't get to you because clearly it was his loss."

Bruce looked at him as if shocked by the sentiment. "I, uh… It stung a little. But only until I realized it never would have worked if that was his general attitude. The other four didn't come along right away. After finalizing the adoption of Jakob and Loren a few months later, I decided to go ahead and file for adoption of Steve too. That was a little bit trickier, but with the approval of my adoption of the other two and Dr. Erskine as a reference, I managed it. Soon after I moved to California and got my doctorate in nuclear physics at CalTech."

"Okay can I just say I'm in awe of you? Seriously, I just have to say it. Single father of three kids pursuing a doctorate?" Tony was truly amazed by the prospect and well aware the man had likely managed to do it on scholarship no less and at an accelerated pace given the timeline and his obvious genius.

"Thank you. It wasn't easy. And then there was the issue of post-grad. I couldn't manage to find any funding for my work so I decided to take a job for the military in New Mexico." Tony saw the way Bruce's face darkened slightly. "I won't get into the details, but it didn’t end well. It was fine at first and I was even working with my best friend from college again since her father was the general who commissioned the project I was on."

Tony's brow furrowed. "Wait. General with a daughter who's also a scientist." Tony's eyes then widened. "Don't tell me you worked for that asshole General Ross?"

"Guilty," Bruce answered and he sounded thoroughly ashamed.

"No wonder that didn't end well. We had a weapons contract with him and I think he actually thought my shutting down our weapons production and terminating contracts was a personal offense to him specifically. Guy's certifiable."

Bruce snorted in response to his assessment.

"Yeah. I worked on the project for two years. During that time I guess you could say the adoption bug had bitten me because Steve and Loki… I mean Loren, sorry, nickname," he stammered adorably, "were much healthier than they'd been and I felt like with the steady income from the military, it might be a good time to consider it. Instead Betty, that is Dr. Ross, asked me if I had considered surrogacy. I hadn't, but it was an interesting notion. And maybe there was little bit of weird male pride at the idea of having a kid who shared my genetics." He hitched a shoulder. "So 11 months after she suggested it, Jane was born and the adoption finalized."

Tony smiled and looked over at the girl. "I was wondering if she was one of yours. But she's not your fourth oldest?" He then said with a curious glance back at Bruce, having done the math in his head.

"I would say you're astute, but we both know you're a genius," Bruce replied with a laugh. "You're right of course. She'll be 13 next month. My 15 year old didn't arrive until several years later. Actually, Jane was my last for a handful of years. The thing with the military happened and I really wasn't in any position to think of any more children. There were a few rough years. A lot of moving from job to job before I settled in at Culver, at Betty's referral since she was already working there," Bruce explained. "Then in late 2007 I decided I wanted one more kid, magic number five I guess. So I opted for surrogacy again and my youngest Jemma was born late in 2008."

"Okay I'm on the edge of my seat here," Tony teased, although he had to admit he was curious about kids six and seven.

"My 15 year old, Natasha is courtesy of my extended family. My cousin is an attorney and my uncle is with the LAPD. They were involved in taking down a crime ring and my cousin was fatally wounded and needed a transfusion. I was actually visiting with my kids that summer since they hadn't seen Jemma yet and since I was also set to receive an alumni honor from CalTech. It was a lucky thing since I'm a blood match."

"That's awful," Tony said sincerely and had to wonder at how both of their lives had been filled with violence at some point.

"She's fine now," Bruce said, sounding genuinely relieved. "Wonderful lawyer in New York actually. But when my uncle took down the ring, it was learned that there was a girl they'd abducted fairly recently after killing her parents. I don't want to talk about what they were planning on doing with her," Bruce said darkly.

"It's okay, you don't have to," Tony assured him. He had no desire to hear it and instinctively looked across the room to make sure Skye and Jane were still safe. Bruce followed his gaze as if he shared the same urge.

"Natasha was given to my aunt and uncle's custody for a while since she was a key witness in the case and they wanted to keep her under protection. Over the summer I got attached to her and her with me and my other children. So as soon as I was free to do so and knew it was what she wanted, I filed for adoption. It was a longer process since I was given temporary guardianship first, she had to undergo intense therapy, it had to be proved that it was in her best interest given her experience, and then the case had to be moved to an agency in Virginia, but in the end it worked out."

There was silence for a moment as the story sunk in.

"And then there was one," Tony then echoed Bruce's previous statement and the other man smiled.

"That would be Peter. He came into my custody in 2011. When I was at ESU I was good friends with his father Richard. I was also friends with his brother and sister-in-law by extension. They babysat Steve, and then Jakob and Loren, sometimes. I kept in touch over the years and I guess that made some kind of difference because Peter's father's will nominated me as desired legal guardian should his brother and sister-in-law be unable to care for the boy and they amended their own wills to nominate me according to his wishes. Maybe he thought with all my kids, I'd be a good father." Bruce paused for a moment and then sighed. "Peter's parents died when he was a baby and his Uncle Ben and Aunt May took him in. When he was almost five there was a fatal break-in of their home. Ben was killed on the spot and May died later at the hospital. So that left me to decide if I would take him. I could have said no and I had to move to a bigger house to keep him let alone finalize the adoption of him, but after what he'd been through in just five years there was no way I was going to let him go so long as he wanted to be with us after the trial guardianship period."

"Jeez, your poor kids," Tony hissed.

He wanted to give each and everyone one of them a hug and then maybe build them a castle and fill it with unicorns and puppies and anything else to make up for their troubles. At the very least, he was considering nominating Bruce for sainthood. He briefly wondered if Bruce's own troubled past was why he had somehow become a magnet for children who needed some kind of impossibly strong superhero to fight for them.

Bruce smiled ruefully. "My friend Leonard has likened my home to the Island of Misfit Toys. I'm not offended by that notion because I love them all and wouldn't trade my uniquely blended family for the world. There aren't any roses or a picket fence like I'd once idealized and there's still no _him_ in the picture, but it's still good." He paused. "Yeah, still good," he repeated.

"Did you just quote _Lilo & Stitch_?" Tony asked with a small smirk.

"Probably?" Bruce said with an uncertain laugh as he scrunched his face as if considering it. "Oh, yeah, yeah I did." He laughed more openly. "Sorry. That one's a favorite in our house for obvious reasons."

"That's adorable," Tony said with a genuine smile. "Pictures?" Bruce held up a finger before pulling out his wallet and opening it. He unfolded the picture flap until 7 photos were revealed that all looked to be the most recent year's school photos."Wow." Tony literally felt a little special being invited deeper into the sanctuary of Bruce's Misfit Island. He took the wallet reverently to study the photos. "Whoa, that first one is Steve?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, he's the picture of perfect health. He's taller than me… Well, to be fair most of my kids are," he added with a laugh. Tony could relate to the height issue. "He runs every morning and he's on the track team. He wants to go into the military and hopefully let it pay for art school."

"Nice. And damn, your second son… Jakob?" Bruce nodded. "Talk about point break."

Bruce snorted. "Yeah, he's built like a rock. His jock friends have taken to calling him Thor since his brother is kind of into the dramatic, hipster, whatever they call it crowd and took Loki as a nom de plume of sorts. That and because, well, Thor seems fitting."

"I'll say," Tony said with a nod. "And Loki you said? Yeah, I can see what you mean by the dramatic hipster. Hey, nothing wrong with that."

"Well, he's my most riddled with teen angst right now so some days it gets to be a little trying," Bruce confessed.

"I'm so glad none of mine have reached that stage yet. Clint is just too chill. Skye though…" He gave a small quirk of his face.

"Good luck," Bruce offered playfully.

"Thanks. So then there's Natasha," he said aloud as he went through the photos. "That's some seriously red hair. And she looks like a heartbreaker."

"You have no idea," Bruce replied. "She's incredibly athletic. She could quite literally pirouette and put a person in a headlock before you even see the transition in time to dodge. And all of the guys are crazy about her. And she started dating recently," he said it with a sigh.

Tony offered him a sympathetic look and then quickly moved on. "Then of course lovely Jane. And Peter. Isn't he a handsome little—"

"Mischief maker," Bruce interjected. "He's brilliant, but lacks focus right now. Unless it's to do with spiders. He could focus on anything spider related for hours. It's mildly disturbing, but I guess that's what makes him special."

Tony smiled at Bruce's encouragement of his children. It was immensely attractive and the longer they sat there talking the more he wanted to ask him out on a date. They wouldn't even have to do the long, sordid back story to this extent. They could just focus on the small, every day sorts of things and Tony thought that sounded nice.

"Last but not least Jemma," he said looking down at the small girl. Maybe he was just being a little sentimental over the fact that none of his kids were that small anymore because Tony's heart warmed immediately and he couldn't _not_ smile at how adorable she was. "She's an absolute cutie."

"She really is. A little shy and a perfect little angel. Follows every rule that she can. Even makes her own rules and follows those. Very, very smart too."

Bruce's face was lit up once more as he talked with abandon about his daughter and then started talking a little more about some of his other children without prompting. As Tony listened intently he couldn't help but be reminded of a feeling he'd only felt once before. It had been at a science conference a little over fifteen years before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you're still with me after all that crack and violence. And if there's anything I missed, I'm so so sorry and I hope you weren't triggered. Please tell me what was missed. I'm also sorry if the discussion seems callous at any point as it's A LOT of exposition in one chunk and it was tough trying to balance their emotional resonance on top of trying to show that Tony and Bruce are in the present, having spent years healing over the incidents discussed and thus more able to share that pain and connect with one another as two broken fathers. Essentially they mourn the past, but aren't currently stuck there which is why they're simultaneously being attracted to one another in spite of the heaviness of the back story. Wasn't intended to be light or hand wavy.
> 
> Also _Lilo & Stitch_ was a sort of guiding emotional backdrop for this fic while I was writing it so it will pop up again more than once with the quotes and themes of family.


	5. Taking Chances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Potential TW for mention of 9/11. After the heaviness of chapter 4 here's whiplash with chapter 5 oops.

After their dinner in Tony's suite on Thursday night, the rest of the weekend followed with the two men and their charges becoming inseparable. Bruce wasn't sure if he hadn't stepped into an alternate universe because this didn't seem like it could be his life.

He also wasn't sure if it was his own attraction playing tricks on his mind, but there were moments he almost believed that the attraction wasn't one-sided as crazy as it seemed. He knew it was foolish and even if it were true he and Tony just couldn't be together with all the obstacles between them, but Bruce started keeping a mental list of things that made him give pause. He felt a little juvenile for doing so, but he told himself that it was just what scientists were supposed to do when faced with a conundrum.

There was the simple fact that he and Tony fell into each others' space so easily, so naturally. He wasn't sure if Tony was a tactile person or if he was only tactile with people he liked and trusted. At the very least if it was the latter it meant he and Tony had already become good enough friends for Tony to be willing touch him. There were brushes of their fingers and hands and shoulders and arms. Tony would throw an arm around his shoulder casually as they walked or stood talking to other people at the conference. Tony would grab his shoulder. Tony even pinched him in the side once jokingly. Bruce wasn't sure if he was starved for touch from someone his own age, excluding friendly gestures from Betty or Leonard, since it had been so long. He wasn't sure if that lack of intimacy with someone he was attracted to was causing him to overreact, but it felt damn good and there were times he was dangerously close to seeking out those touches. He also found himself tentatively reciprocating – tentatively because he wasn't sure if he could trust himself not to make it blindingly obvious that he was attracted to Tony.

On Friday, Tony sat in on all three of Bruce's lectures to the point that Bruce had to stop and consider it for the list. After all, it didn't make sense for Tony to listen to the same basic outline of information that Bruce was certain he could already quote back to him verbatim. In fact, he and Tony discussed his lecture in length at lunch between lectures that day, so he knew that Tony had already taken his research and was running down breathtaking paths in his own mind.

That simple discussion was the collaboration that Bruce had just known would be beautiful, the collaboration he thought he would never get to experience. And it was that promise of further collaboration and perhaps the fact that Tony blurted eagerly, "Finally somebody who speaks English!" that caused Bruce to blurt out what he had still been keeping to himself, "I want to work for you." And that was that.

But if Bruce had then temporarily wondered if Tony had been sitting in on his lectures to pursue his potential employment diligently, Tony quickly proved that theory wrong on Saturday morning when they ran into Reed again. Tony had asked Reed if he'd sat in on the lecture yet, and of course he hadn't - Bruce wasn't entirely surprised, and Tony had looked horrified and indignant both for about thirty seconds. Then, with a very obviously fake smile - it looked to Bruce like he had just become a shark that had spotted an easy target - Tony told Reed that he owed it to everyone at the conference to sit in on the lecture because if _the Reed Richards_ attended it others would follow suit and be enlightened. Bruce wasn't sure if he gaped more at Tony complimenting Reed to get such a thing to happen or the fact that Reed actually bought it and the lecture hall was packed to the brim.

On Friday night, Tony had treated him and Jane to dinner again with Skye and Sam, only this time dinner out on the town. It had mostly been spent listening to the kids go on and on about the day, but that had maybe made it more intimate. And, again, whether or not it was in his mind it seemed like Tony kept giving him looks that felt intimate somehow. Tony would smile and his eyes would dance at every small joke Bruce made – not that Bruce didn't return the favor because Tony was the kind of amusing that settled down deep under your skin and just made you feel like you couldn't escape being smitten. When Bruce would take genuine interest in Skye or Sam, Tony would look at him with intense brown like he found it as attractive as Bruce found it when Tony did the same with Jane. Bruce even felt at a few points that Tony was admiring his looks and that was… weird. That was probably in his mind. Then again, Tony had made it a point to tell him that he couldn't decide if he liked him better with two eyes or four and once again he had a gleam in his eyes that made Bruce squirm.

Also at dinner that night Bruce learned that Tony had a quirk about being handed things. He made exceptions for certain people he felt he could trust and for children, but otherwise he would outright refuse or else feel slightly violated over it afterwards. Bruce had found this out when he unwittingly handed him an extra spoon that he didn't need for his own meal. Tony had accepted it and Skye and Sam had practically gasped loud enough that all of Germany heard it, startling him and Jane both.

"Dad, he just handed you something," Skye had said.

"Do we need to go through the coping mechanisms?" Sam had asked in genuine concern.

Tony had blinked several times and then smiled brilliantly. "Bruce is an exception," he had said. The explanation that was clearly in order had then followed.

Bruce was an exception and he didn't know what to do with that. Were they simply two strangers that had found a connection and were destined to be friends? Was Bruce okay with that even when he told himself over and over that he was being ridiculous because friendship was all there _ever_ could be if they had thirteen kids between them and came from two different worlds. Bruce didn't want to make Tony feel uncomfortable or lose that newfound friendship, but he couldn't help but wonder if Tony felt the ridiculous things he felt or maybe the proper word was hope. Maybe he hoped Tony did.

 

* * *

 

As Tony sat with Bruce at the honors dinner on Saturday night he couldn't help but hate that it was Saturday night. Soon the strangely perfect little bubble that he'd been living in over the past three days would burst. Sure, Bruce wanted to come work for Stark Industries, but until then the physicist would fly home to Virginia and Tony was a little afraid that he would wake up and find that the entire thing had been a dream.

Maybe it was all in his mind, but it was like Bruce spoke his language and it had been so long. He had never counted on anyone ever being able to speak his language like this again. There were even moments, when Tony was being honest and no matter how much he had loved Maya, Bruce got things that Maya hadn't; of course, he was more than willing to point out the things that Maya had understood more than Bruce so maybe it evened out.

"How many honors can they give him?" Tony commented to Bruce, trying to take his mind off of his conflicted thoughts.

Bruce chuckled. "Have you _been_ to the Baxter Building? I'm pretty sure he's got an entire hallway devoted to his," he air quoted, "'fantastic' achievements." Then he sighed. "I swear, I respect him I really do, but there are so many people with things they can contribute to the community that go without notice."

"Like you," Tony pointed out. Although Bruce looked a little sheepish he had the decency, or hopefully enough self-awareness, to smile gratefully and not protest the genuine compliment. "We'll have to change that," he said further.

That Bruce did respond to with a small furrow of his brow. "What did you have in mind?"

Tony smiled. "Well, you're coming to work for me and I've decided it's time for me to stop being awol at these things. So I think if we put my resources behind your ideas, if you have any, we can really change the world. And while it's not about the accolades, well, not entirely," he hedged because some ego was healthy in his opinion, "maybe then you'll get the honor you're clearly overdue."

Bruce ducked his head. "You seem pretty certain. You haven't even heard any of my ideas outside of clean energy and the general uses of gamma. You're already ahead of me in terms of deserving honor in the clean energy department. There's the cellular repair, but I think it's pretty obvious it's just a little beyond us for the time being and presents ethical dilemmas."

"Well, then, what are some other things you're interested in? I have a good memory, obviously," he smirked playfully, "and seem to recall you mentioning that your work wouldn't get funded. That implies that you have ideas. And statistically speaking, I'm willing to bet that they can't _all_ be about clean energy, gamma and cellular repair." He studied the man for his reaction.

There was a tell-tale expression of being put on the spot that Tony read as his being right before Bruce's phone went off and he looked down at it. A smile spread across the physicist's face and Tony found himself curious about this new development as Bruce quickly fiddled with his phone.

"Sorry," he said when he seemed to remember his manners. "Just a video my daughter sent me of her ballet recital. I can watch it later. Where were we?"

"We were in the middle of your incessant bragging about all of your amazing ideas." Bruce smiled thinly and shook his head. "But, hey, that's more important." Tony pointed to the phone. "Here, email it to me and you can view it properly on my phone's holographic screen," he insisted. "Don't worry, I'll delete it right after."

Bruce's mouth opened slightly, but then he closed it with a chuckle as he began a new email on his phone. "You just want my email address."

"You're not wrong," Tony said easily.

He wanted that and so much more. There was no point left in denying it.

 

* * *

 

Bruce didn't typically talk about himself to this extent, or talk to this extent in general unless it was with his kids or lecturing to his students, but Tony brought out the conversationalist in him and seemed so genuinely interested in his ideas that he couldn't stop.

Then again maybe it was because he didn't want the night to end because when the night ended he would go back to being whatever the modern grown man equivalent of Cinderella was. The past three days he had felt like the peasant at the palace with the prince and the prince had indeed turned out to be charming. But the clock was about to strike midnight and Tony would leave for New York and maybe things wouldn't be the same when Bruce came to work for him.

The minutes were ticking by to that proverbial ringing of the clock. The kids were already back in their respective hotel suites and packing for the trip home; they had attended a smaller dinner held for the junior conference attendees in a part of the hotel's restaurant and had checked in with them. The honorees dinner was already ended. He and Tony were already making their own way slow as could be to their suites, detouring here and there just to talk - like the long hour lost in the hotel lobby talking about some of the ideas they'd seen and heard at the conference.

As long as it was just the two of them, as long as Bruce kept talking even if about himself, as long as they lingered, maybe they could suspend time.

Of course, they could only suspend it for so long and eventually they couldn't go on pretending they didn't have to prepare to leave.

"So obviously in 2001 wanting to get funding for research that would support any kind of ideology linked with Greenpeace got you looked at like you were one of those environmentalist extremists," Bruce explained when they finally made it to the elevator and waited for it. "And then after 9/11 it got even harder because everything else sort of took the backseat. That's why being a military scientist was an easier job to get. They were looking for anything against the war on terror."

Tony hummed. "Yeah, choosing to shut down our development of weapons in a post 9/11 world was seen by a lot of people like we were siding with the terrorists. It was a hard choice. I had my own doubts because I obviously love this country and want our troops kept safe. Hell, my best friend is in the military. I worry about him all the time."

Bruce nodded as the elevator door opened. "No, I understand. I'm not opposed to wanting to protect our country or supporting our troops. In fact, one of the main ideas behind cellular repair that I would love to see become a reality is the potential to protect people from radiation." He gesticulated broadly with his hands as he tried to explain the importance, perhaps needlessly as Tony probably already understood all of this. "Besides just cancer patients, think about the way it could protect civilians and soldiers from the fallout of modern warfare. Maybe we can't end war in our life time, but maybe we can lower the amount of casualties." He let his hands fall as he considered the possibility. "It's always been—"

"I feel like this would be a good point in the conversation to state for the record that I like both men and women."

Bruce stopped talking and his mouth hung open. He looked at Tony in slight confusion. "What? How is that…? That's not at all relevant to the conversation," Bruce said even as he swallowed hard at the sudden confirmation that Tony wasn't entirely off limits.

"It's actually very much entirely relevant to the conversation," Tony countered and took a step toward him in earnest.

Before Bruce could really grasp what was happening, the elevator seemed to close in around them drawing their lips together in a tentative brush. As their eyes were still opened, Bruce felt his widen and saw Tony's do the same. It had been a long time since he could honestly say he felt the cliché spark of electric chemicals that left him dizzy for more, but with just that small kiss his entire face felt numb and before he could think twice Tony was kissing him more firmly and he was responding.

It still started off slow and experimental; like the scientists they were it seemed that they needed to explore this unexpected shift in data. But like every experiment, there was a point when the chemicals began to react and what began as a slow burn turned into a need to push the limits further and see if the mixture would fizzle out or explode.

Suddenly they were kissing more openly, more hungrily. Tony snaked one hand around to the small of his back and pulled him closer and Bruce moved one of his own without thinking to clutch at Tony's shoulder, then neck, then through his hair before settling on cupping his face. As they devoured one another's lips and let their tongues join in, Bruce felt like his brain might short circuit. The feel of Tony's facial hair was a maddeningly pleasant scratch against his own stubble – he couldn't even recall at the moment the last man he had kissed with facial hair – and the warmth of Tony's musk, likely a very expensive cologne although there was something else there that he would like to make a study of until he could categorize it, was so heavenly that when he took his next breath in he couldn't help but moan at the combination of it all.

Of course, the moan startled him and, rather than short circuit, his brain yelled at him the details of exactly what he was doing. Bruce forced himself to pull away, panting and trying hard not to give into the bruised and delicious lips that chased after his at the break of contact.

"I've wanted to ask you out since we met," Tony admitted, eyes half-lidded and looking torn between focusing on Bruce's eyes and Bruce's lips.

"We shouldn't," Bruce whispered. Actually, whispered wasn't even the word for it as his voice sounded so cracked and ill-used from long-forgotten pleasure. "It's a bad idea," he said it even as his hand moved to perch on Tony's shoulder with no intention of pulling away completely.

"Doesn’t seem like a bad idea from where I’m standing," Tony replied and as if to prove a point captured Bruce's lips again, not that captured was the right word either since Bruce didn't put up much of a struggle.

Bruce had to admit that when standing in this position, it didn't seem like a bad idea. It rather felt like a magnum opus. Sparks continued to fly, but there was still that small voice in the back of his head warning him of the consequences of impending explosion and fallout. He practically whimpered to have to pull away again, but he didn't want to get used to kissing Tony if there was nothing for it in the end – especially not if he was going to work for the man.

"M'no… No, Tony. It is," he protested, shaking his head once as he did. "It couldn't work. It's… It would be like a time bomb, Tony."

"Time bomb?" Tony clearly wasn't in a state of mind to follow his round about reasoning.

"We're too different. You, you're rich and I'm not."

"I'm not classist."

"Let me finish," Bruce argued even as he fought down a fond thrill at Tony's flippancy. "And, the kids. Come on, you… You have to realize that's insane. We would be insane to try that. You're practically a celebrity and I… I swear, it's not that I'm bothered by that," he tried to explain when Tony pulled away a little as if offended. "I'm just thinking about your kids." Tony seemed equally shocked by that sentiment. "And you. And my kids too of course. That would be like asking for the media to harass you. They would treat it like some sort of freak show. A man like you doesn't just try to date a nobody physicist with seven kids of his own without some kind of consequence."

Tony didn't respond right away. Instead he pulled away and paced around the elevator car until it finally pinged open and they stepped out onto Bruce's floor of the hotel. Bruce briefly mused how long of an elevator ride that had felt like with time suspended while they kissed… Only to realize he shouldn't think about it because he was still in no state of mind to do so.

"I hate that you're right," Tony finally said with a low groan of displeasure. "Our kids would probably hate us for throwing them into that. You know, assuming it worked out," he hedged, but Bruce was still out of his mind enough with a buzz from their chemistry and the past few days of getting to know one another that he couldn't help but feel as though it could work out between them if under different circumstances.

"It's a very strong possibility," Bruce agreed vaguely instead.

Tony sighed and fixed him with such intense dark eyes that Bruce almost couldn't meet them. "I still want you to work for Stark Industries."

Bruce was surprised at how much of a relief that was now that he considered it. "I still want to work for Stark Industries," he replied honestly.

Tony's intense stare softened with a smile, but that was nearly just as bad. "And I'd still love to meet your kids sometime. Bring them by the tower for one of the tours if you'd like. They sound wonderful."

Bruce closed his eyes and nodded. "I'm sure they would love that. Well, Jane would at least. And maybe Peter and Jemma." He remained objective. This was for their kids' sake.   

"Well, if I don't see you before you check out," Tony started and Bruce realized maybe that was for the best, saying goodbye like this for the time being, "tell Jane goodbye for me and that it was great meeting her. And her father," he added, extending a professional hand.

It felt cold and wrong, but logic prevailed and Bruce accepted the casual handshake. "Likewise. I'm sure Skye will show everyone a thing or two by the next junior conference."

Tony smiled and let go of his hand, quickly hitting the elevator button again. Bruce started down the hall. "Maybe next conference you and I can have a philanthropic project to unveil for the company," Tony said, sounding somewhat wistful, and Bruce stopped in his tracks.

He fought with himself before a surge of want overwhelmed him and he turned back quickly, to do what or say what he had no clue, but Tony had already disappeared in the elevator. The hall was suddenly very empty and Bruce's shoulders sagged with regret.

But it was still for the best, he reminded himself.      

                                                       

* * *

 

Tony hated the airport. He hated that even with a private jet he still had to go through the typical process of getting to said private jet that poor people did. Or maybe he had just had a horrible night's sleep before. Actually, that would be relevant if he had slept at all and he hadn't. Sometimes he could go for a few days without crashing when his insomnia flared up. This hadn't been one of those situations. This had been one of those toss and turn, hate everything, have flashbacks of gentle lips, ache for further touches that were never going to happen, empty stomach regret type situations. It was actually the first time he'd felt it in regards to someone who wasn't his late wife and that had only made the night drag on longer.

He wasn't sure how, but against all odds he'd finally found someone else that he wanted to try again with. True, the man had run away because of his kids, but it wasn't like the other times. It was because he himself already had a full house and didn't want anyone to get hurt. It was so endearing and thoughtful and _smart_ that it made Tony want to try even harder. It told Tony that if there was any other person who could maybe stick around for a while and understand every single aspect of Tony's life, fame and fortune aside, it was Dr. Bruce Banner.

But he had let him go because it _was_ smart. He had let him go because Bruce was right. And that made it all the more of a realization to him that Bruce was maybe different. He had listened to Bruce, taken his words into consideration. He hadn't just stood there arguing until he just infuriated the man. Of course, that didn't make him want to see Bruce again any less. He had listened once, yes, but when Tony figured out what he wanted, when his brain caught up to his heart, he went after it. It was why he'd stuck around with Maya even when she thought he was bluffing about being interested in something more and when his head was screaming at the dissonance of suddenly wanting to stick around.

All morning, Tony had glanced around the hotel, hoping that Bruce would be there and that they would maybe lock eyes like some horribly sappy movie that Happy liked to watch and that would be it. Bruce would realize just as much as he did that they both needed this. Of course, unlike those horribly sappy movies that Happy liked to watch, reality didn't work like that. There had been no sign of Bruce or Jane.

Tony had to rely on the promise of Bruce coming to work for Stark Industries. If there was still something between them when the time came, well, maybe Bruce would be easier to convince. But as much as he was a futurist, Tony was also a live in the moment kind of guy and in this moment he was wondering what if this had been it? What if something happened and Bruce didn't come to work for him? What if Bruce came to work for him, but the moment was lost?

"Hey look," Skye broke through his thoughts, "it's Jane and her dad."

Tony whipped his head around so quickly that Sam laughed a little. "Oh my god, you like him," the boy said in observation.

Tony looked hesitantly at Skye, gauging her reaction. "Seriously?" She looked at him incredulously.

"I… I might, yeah. A lot maybe," he admitted.

"And you haven't told him!? You're just going to let him go?" She continued to look at him like he'd grown a second head or maybe five. "You finally like somebody and you're not going to do anything about it?"

"I, uh… He has seven kids, Skye," Tony said quickly, scanning his eyes back and forth between where Bruce was disappearing into the crowd and Skye's exasperated expression.

"And you have six. We can start a reality show or have a movie made about us. Just go, dad!" Skye pushed him.

Honestly, it was the last nudge he needed. One kid's approval down, only five more to go. And a man with seven kids to convince, but he was going to give it his best shot. So he ran as fast as he could, pushing through the crowded terminal until he reached Bruce and his daughter at the end of their long boarding line.

"Tony?" Bruce looked at him, startled.

"I..." He started and took a few deep breaths, grateful his stamina wasn't worse off in spite of his age. "I know it's crazy. But I want to see you again. I _have_ to see you again. Please. Just… I know you live in Virginia, but hey I'm filthy rich remember? I'll just fly down whenever you're available and we can have a proper date. Because I want to have at least one proper date with you. If… If you're interested, of course. But I kind of got the feeling you were. Please, Bruce. Just one. You know, unless you agree to more."

Throughout this entire speech, Tony watched as Bruce ducked his head and looked around at the people in line who were clearly staring at them. And then Bruce looked down at Jane, whose eyes were wide like she couldn't believe someone had just chased down her father like some convoluted movie, but both father and daughter were adorable so Tony didn't care if he'd made a fool of himself with his flair for the dramatic.

Tony glanced over to see the line was starting to move a little. He then looked back and placed a hand on one of the other man's shoulders. "I know you probably think I'm crazy right now, but I'm not the kind of guy who likes to sit around and think what if. I don't want to sit around two or three years from now and wonder what if it wasn't right the first time all those years ago when we didn't meet, but then it was right the second time only I missed out on you again… I mean, that's not something I want to live with. Do you?"

Bruce finally met his eyes and a small smile appeared on his face. "No, I guess not," he conceded. Bruce then took a deep breath. "Okay. I'll go on a date with you."

Tony hadn't felt this relieved in years and he smiled. "You won't regret it. I promise."

"Well, after a speech like that, I hope not," Bruce replied with a small, teasing laugh and Tony couldn't help himself. He used the hand still on Bruce's shoulder as leverage and captured Bruce's lips across the divider. Like their kiss before Tony felt sparks and he could tell Bruce felt them too by the way he relaxed into it immediately. "Alright, I believe you," the physicist said, sounding a little dazed, when they pulled apart. "Now I really have to go," he said when the line started moving again. "You can call me in a few days. Goodbye, Tony."

"Goodbye, Bruce. Bye, Jane," he added and the girl waved. He held up his hand and waved back.


	6. Telling The Kids

Bruce was met by a round of greetings from his kids when he came into Leonard and Betty's home with Jane in tow. A round of greetings and a very ecstatic "Daddy!" from Jemma complete with flung out arms.

"I missed you!" The little girl said as he quickly picked her up into a strong hug.

"I missed you too, my little molecule," he said, giving her a big kiss on her cheek. "I know you were good while I was gone, weren't you. What about your brothers and sisters, hm?"

"Of course they were good," Betty assured as he sat down in an empty armchair with Jemma perched on his lap.

"Don't let her lie to you," Natasha interjected with a thin smile. "They were absolutely rotten. Every last one of them."

"Except you?" He asked with a raised eyebrow and she just shrugged.

"So, how was it?" Betty asked. Bruce left that to Jane to field.

"It was AH-MA-ZING!" The girl started immediately. "There were so many people there. And there were so many projects! I can't even remember everything, but I wrote down as much as I could in my field journal." Betty smiled at that and gave Bruce a knowing glance. "And I met so so so many people," Jane continued and Bruce's heart rate picked up. Jane had promised not to mention Tony until he was ready to tell all of them, but the girl was so excited it might just slip out.

"Did you meet Reed Richards?" Leonard asked from in the kitchen where he was working on some paperwork of some sort at the table. Bruce laughed as it was a little inside joke between them, Leonard liking to poke at Bruce's uncharacteristic short patience with the other scientist and insisting it was the ego Bruce kept buried showing itself.

"I did!" Jane exclaimed. "And his kids. But I also met Tony Stark!"

"No way!" Peter exclaimed and even Leonard stopped what he was doing and came over.

"Yes way!" Jane exclaimed again. "He was so nice. And funny. And I met his daughter Skye and her friend Sam and they invited me over to their _huge_ hotel suite and we played video games and there was so much science!"

"Tony Stark, huh?" Leonard managed when Jane had stopped spieling in order to vibrate a little with excitement. "What's he like? I've always been curious."

"Oh, uh…" Bruce tried to push aside the descriptions of the man that were of no interest to Leonard, descriptions such as 'phenomenal kisser' for example. "He was really something," he started vaguely.

"I've heard a lot about _his_ ego," Leonard said, piggybacking off of the previous inside joke.

Bruce considered it. "Well, I don't know. He seemed self-assured and he wasn't shy about his genius or accomplishments. But I didn't get the impression he was too bad. I just think he's had access to the things people like us don't and he more or less takes it for granted. He doesn't think twice about, you know, throwing down several hundred dollars on room service."

Betty raised an eyebrow at that and Bruce realized how that might sound. "We had dinner with him, Skye and Sam twice," Jane supplied excitedly much to Bruce's relief.

"Twice, huh?" Betty asked with enough lilt to her tone that Bruce's heart rate spiked again. "He must have been very nice then. And, hey, Bruce you should have told him about your application."

"Actually…" Bruce hesitated, but decided it wasn't a dangerous topic and it was one that needed to be out in the open as much as the other. "He approached me after my first day of lectures with a job offer. That's how we met." He immediately saw the way his kids looked around at one another with varying levels of trepidation. He did feel sorry for them.

Betty's eyes widened and she looked over at her husband who smiled in obvious congratulations. "Bruce! That's… That's amazing! And ironic," she added.

"Very ironic. I told him I had just applied Tuesday and he essentially said to consider the application accepted and that he'd have his hiring department send over the information for me to look over if I was interested," Bruce explained.

"Please tell me you accepted the job," Betty said warningly.

"Yes, although tentative at first. I explained to him the unique situation." Bruce paused. "I explained to him that for me to make a move to New York, I would need to be able to cover the cost of settling into a nice enough home."

"You told him you have seven kids?" Steve asked plainly.

"I did."

"I hope that didn't cause any problem with the negotiation," Leonard said in concern. They were all well aware of how thin the tightrope could be when trying to secure a new position or new funding.

Bruce smiled at how generous Tony had been even before anything had come of it and shook his head. Betty tilted her head curiously, but he ignored it.

"No. He was very understanding and said that it wouldn't be a problem. Said he would work moving costs into the incentives package. He also assured me that the starting salary would be good enough for a nicer home and to cover tuition for a nicer school. So that's why… Yes, I said yes."

The room was quiet for a moment and Bruce felt like all eyes were on him, which they were.

"What did you do, blow him?" Loki suddenly blurted out.

Bruce's eyes went wide and he felt his cheeks burn. "I… What?" There was laughter from Steve, Thor and Natasha, even as the last whacked Loki on the backside of his head. "I didn’t…"

"Blow him what, daddy?" Jemma asked in confusion as she craned her neck to look up at him. He felt himself flush even further as the others laughed, Betty and Leonard joining in. "A kiss?"

Bruce's eyes widened again and he saw Jane's widen too. "I… Uh… I really don't know why you would ask that, honestly. There was no…" He cleared his throat. "There was no _that_. He was just being a generous employer. There was definitely no, uh, blowing… Or uh…"

"Kissing?" Thor supplied unhelpfully because Bruce was a horrible liar and didn't like lying to his kids.

"Well, I…"

"Bruce Banner, if you get any redder somebody will slather you with butter," Betty said with a laugh even as she looked at him suspiciously.

Jemma hopped off his lap and looked at him cautiously. "Daddy, you _are_ all red. Are you sick?" She was very concerned as she gripped at his cheek studiously.

"Maybe he's love sick," Natasha intoned, nudging Thor who actually beamed rather than snickered at that notion Bruce noticed in spite of the thrumming in his ear.

Bruce ducked his head and looked away and that was his downfall as Betty suddenly put all the pieces of her study of him together. "Spill, Bruce. Something happened at that conference."

Suddenly there was silence again and he looked to see his kids were now gaping at him in disbelief, the joke suddenly not a joke anymore.

"Dad?" Natasha spoke first, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't know why everyone's so insistent that something happened," he deflected. "You… Your father comes home after four days away and has great news about a job offer and what do I get? I get an interrogation about hypothetical, uh, well, you know."

"He's right," Leonard stepped in. "Give the guy a break."

"I would," Betty said, "but it's written all over his face. Something happened."

Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes tight. "Fine. I… I met somebody…" And even as he said it, his face betrayed him and he smiled at the thought of who he had met.

"Oh my god!" He wasn't sure which one of his kids said it loudest because half of them said it at once.

"I didn't actually think you'd take my advice," Natasha said in disbelief and he opened his eyes to see their reactions.

"Wait," Steve furrowed his brow, "you've been giving dad dating advice? Why would you do that? He's perfectly fine—"

"Oh please, just because you can't get off your ass and ask Peggy out doesn't mean everyone has to be a blushing virgin," Natasha snapped back before he could finish.

"I think it would be good for dad to find someone," Thor interjected. "If he's happy."

"Right, of course. I agree, but you don't just meet somebody on the other side of the world, Thor," Loki countered. "That rarely works out. And as if we don't have enough uncertainty in our lives as it is," he pointed out and Bruce winced.

"I don't want a mom!" Peter suddenly protested and there was a laugh from a few of the others.

"Dad likes boys remember?" Jane muttered at him. Peter sometimes forgot this point, between being the newest addition to the family and Bruce's lack of love life in that period of time.

"Men," Bruce corrected quickly. "Dad likes _men_."

Peter gave a considering look and then said matter-of-factly, "Well, I don't want another dad either."

"Bruce, now might be the time to say something," Betty coaxed gently. Bruce looked between her and Leonard a few times for support before taking a deep breath and nodding.

"Everybody stop arguing and listen to me now," he started and they immediately did so. "Yes, I met someone at the conference and Jane already knows this."

"And I'm happy for him," the daughter in question said sharply, crossing her arms indignantly.

Bruce smiled softly. "Thank you, sweetheart. There was kissing," he decided to clear that air since it had been such a topic of interest. "But _only_ kissing. Okay? Great. Glad we've got that settled."

"He even chased dad down at the airport and asked him on a date!" Jane suddenly interrupted with a squeal as if unable to keep it all in now that they were discussing it.

He blushed a little as he watched everyone's reactions.

"That actually sounds really nice," Steve admitted sheepishly.

"Cute," Natasha said evenly.

"How exactly are you supposed to go on a date with him?" Loki asked dubiously. "Where does he live?"

Bruce's throat suddenly felt dry as the final revelation impended. "Um, New York."

"Is that why you want us to move there?" Thor asked next.

"No, not… No, that has nothing to do with this. Entirely," he added hesitantly. "I would have accepted that position regardless. I was offered that position before there was any kind of kissing and proposed dates."

"Bruce," Betty said gently and he looked over to see the suspicious twinkle in her eye. "What's this mystery man's name?"

Bruce blinked and looked down at his hands in his lap. "Tony."

"As in…?" Leonard was the first to respond in surprise. Bruce looked back up and nodded at him. "Well, damn."

There was a sudden outburst from his older children at once. There were things said such as "Isn't he a celebrity?" and "He makes those phones we can't afford, right?" and "He's really rich!" and even "I don't believe it."

He had to agree with that sentiment. "I know. It doesn't seem possible."

"Oh come on, dad," Natasha countered him. "You're like a hot nerdy professor type which is in right now." Betty laughed at the comment.

"Okay his being a rich celebrity aside," Steve said in a strong voice as if trying to take control over the situation. "You're saying that a man who already offered you a great job and _knows_ you have seven kids actually _chased you down_ because he wants to go out with you that bad?"

They all turned to look at him curiously and Bruce couldn't hide his goofy sort of smile in time. "Uh… Yeah. Essentially." He nodded, waiting for the next bomb to drop, the bomb that had made him not want to give into his interest in Tony.

"Is he certifiable perhaps?" Loki asked.

"No… Well, jury might be out on that one," Bruce corrected with a small huff of a laugh as he considered it.

"I don't think there's any gentle ripping off of this band aid, Bruce," Betty said knowingly and he saw the way she looked at Leonard and Leonard paled in sudden realization.

"Jane, uh, sweetie, why don't you tell your brothers and sisters everything you know about Tony Stark, hmm?" He looked over at her with a nod and caught a smirk from Betty.

"Well, he's super smart. He's like maybe the second smartest man in the whole world. Although I think dad is," she added and Bruce smiled. "He _is_ really rich. Like a billionaire rich. Skye was telling me all about their house and said it would be cool if we came over sometime to see it." Bruce almost choked on nothing as he had not known about that invitation. "He doesn't just make phones and tablets like everyone thinks. He also has this tower that's run by an arc reactor." Bruce saw some of his kids look around at each other in confusion. "It's so cool what he's doing with clean energy right now. And like I said, he's so nice. But that's probably because he has six kids. And he—"

_"WHAT!?"_

It was like the Hoover Dam had burst and all of his kids that weren't already standing shot up at once, shouting and looking at him in horror. Jane's ramble was entirely forgotten and she startled back at the ferocity. Jemma and Peter also startled and Jemma promptly ran out of the room, with Leo on her heels, to avoid the confrontation that was sure to follow. They were shouting questions over one another and Bruce had to take a deep breath to steady himself against the barrage.

He stood up and held up his hand authoritatively and they stopped, knowing that if he had to speak his displeasure at the situation then punishment would follow. "Thank you. Question and answer session. One at a time. Oldest to youngest until we're all satisfied. Sorry for holding your home hostage for this," he aimed the last part toward Betty and Leonard, who had sat down next to his wife.

"Well, I'm pretty interested too," Leonard said. Betty just smiled warmly with a sparkle in her eyes that made it clear she shared that sentiment.

"Six kids?" Steve echoed when Bruce looked at him. "As in. _Six_? All under 18?"

Bruce nodded. "Yes. Six kids. All under 18. The oldest is 16. He also occasionally takes care of his best friend's teenage son when his father's away with the military. So for all intents and purposes, sometimes it's seven," he explained and then held up a hand, this time with a last warning glare, when they started to protest again. "Thor?"

Thor furrowed his brow and looked thoughtful. "Are they mostly adopted like us?"

Bruce hadn't expected this question, but realized it was actually a very good one. "Two of them are adopted. Twins. One is his adopted stepson. And the other three are his from his first marriage. He was married to a scientist, very clever woman, named Maya Hansen. She was killed seven years ago by somebody Tony, his wife and children trusted. It was a tragedy."

"I remember that," Betty said sadly.

Bruce saw the confusion on a few faces. "It doesn't bother me that he likes both men and women," he answered, guessing their questions. "And it doesn't bother me that he had a wife. Next question."

"Are _you_ certifiable?" Loki asked with a hint of a smirk.

Bruce returned it with a thin smile. "I've never really claimed to be otherwise. And if I wasn't already entirely mad when I was younger, having seven children might have helped it along the way." Loki seemed satisfied by that answer so he looked at Natasha.

"I don't really have a question since it's your business who you get involved with. Like I said, you deserve to have your own life, dad." He was grateful for that much support at least. "But you do realize that aside from the money thing, a guy with six kids who used to have a wife isn't exactly prince charming, right?" She asked archly.

Bruce hummed and pursed his lips. "Well, it might surprise you to know that your definition of what makes someone interesting does change over the years. But, frankly, the fact that he does have six kids and seems like a wonderful father and was once deeply in love with and committed to another person only to somehow unfathomably want to get to know _me_ better of all the people in the world… Yeah, that's very attractive. It's exactly what drew me to him." He coughed and reddened slightly before adding, "In addition to his brilliance and good looks."

"Oh, Bruce," Betty said with a laugh.

"Ew, dad, no," Natasha said in grimace to that and the sentiment seemed to be shared by some of the others.

"Oh, so _you_ can make kissy faces at your boyfriend, but I can't discuss my attraction to a man in an adult way?" He asked with raised brow and slight amusement at his daughter. Loki and Thor snorted at the accusation.

"James and I don't make kissy faces," Natasha replied indignantly.

"Actually you do," Steve countered. "I'm his best friend. I've seen it firsthand. There are occasionally kissy faces."

Natasha rolled her eyes. "Jealous much," she muttered and Bruce hurried on before this could turn into another argument.

"Jane? Do you have any questions or comments?" He asked.

"Is he a good kisser?" She asked it like she was watching some sappy romance unfold in real life and needed to know these things. The others looked at him expectantly.

"Oh god." Bruce scrubbed his hand with one face. A glance at Betty and Leonard told him he would get no sympathy from them. "Yes," he finally answered, letting his hand fall to reveal his smile. "He's a very good kisser. That's not really what's important. But I suppose it helps," he added with a small laugh. "Okay, Peter, your turn. Any questions?"

Peter looked down, his glasses falling on the bridge of his nose. He pushed them back up when he looked at Bruce. "Why?"

Bruce felt his heart tighten a little. "Why what?" He wanted to make sure he understood the question.

Peter shrugged. "Just why."

Bruce thought long and hard about it before gesturing Peter over and placing a hand on his shoulders. "Because I really like him and if I don't give him a chance, I'll always be asking myself what would have happened if I had. Does that make sense?"

Peter nodded and hugged him. To Bruce's surprise, his other children – sans Jemma of course – came over and hugged him as well.

 

* * *

 

Tony, Skye and Sam made their way into the massive Long Island mansion, the old family home of three generations – only Tony had definitely renovated it over the years so it would be luxurious enough for _this_ century; scratch that: _millennium_. Tony laughed to himself when none of the kids came bounding out from their respective hiding places to greet him. He briefly wondered if Bruce's kids would be just as harsh, but then reminded himself Bruce's home probably didn't have a million different things cooler than dad to occupy their time.

 _Welcome home, sir_ , JARVIS intoned. Well, at least one of his children was programmed to greet him, he mused.

"What's with the goofy grin?" Happy asked as he and Pepper came to greet them. They always stayed at the mansion rather than unleashing that many kids on their apartment.

Sam and Skye shared a conspiratorial snicker and he shot them both a playful glare even as was aware Pepper's eyes were narrowed on him suspiciously. "Happy's right," she said. "You don't look like the man who left here a few days ago. You look better actually," she then said curiously as she tilted her head.

"As your head of security, please tell me you didn't shoot yourself up with something experimental at the conference," Happy said and Tony wasn't sure if he meant it seriously or not. It was hard to tell with the man where sarcasm ended and sobriety began.

"Skye, what happened?" Pepper turned her sudden interrogation onto the teenage girl who Tony knew would all too gladly speak up if not for the fact that he had told her very pointedly that this was _his_ news to break to the entire family at once.

"Hey, J," Tony called out to the AI before Skye could betray him. "Assemble the team. Family meeting before dinner. And, you know, maybe throw in something about how their father is deeply wounded they weren't waiting eagerly for his return."

"This must be big," Pepper said with a laugh.

"It might be," Tony said with a hitch of his shoulder. "Did you get the email I sent you about Dr. Bruce Banner joining our team? Also, how has Harley been doing with the counselor?"

Pepper blinked a few times. "Oh. Yes. Yes I did. And I forwarded it to the hiring team to draw up the contract and send him the package. I was a little surprised. Didn't know you were looking to recruit anyone, but I have to admit he seems like a perfect fit."

"I'll say," Skye mumbled and Tony pointed toward the 'assembly' area which was the very large couch in the atrium lounge where they usually sat when Tony needed to round them all up to speak to them at once.

Pepper watched her go, Sam following behind her, with another suspicious expression before glancing at Happy who shrugged slightly. "Well, Harley admitted that there have been some issues with a few students, but he hasn't really elaborated yet. I guess it's a start." She gave him a sympathetic look and he sighed. "But really, Tony. What's going on? I'd be worried if I didn't get the distinct feeling it's a good thing."

"I think it is," he replied vaguely and moved past her toward the spot he usually stood, in front of the couch.

"You're going to make me find out along with your kids?" Pepper asked with a slight scoff to her voice as she and Happy followed over. She sat down at the edge of an armchair and Happy stood just behind her. "That's very unfair."

"And _I'm_ the petulant child?" He smirked at her.

"Yes," she said without even batting an eye.

Clint was the first to come into the room, wearing only sunglasses and swimming trunks.

"Give it up, bro, you're never going to tan," Sam teased him and he just shrugged.

"'sup, dad. J-man says you're having a midlife crisis or something?" Clint tilted his head downward so that his sunglasses slid down his nose and his eyes peered at him over the tops.

"Hilarious," Tony clipped as he flicked at his son's shades. "Weekend homework check."

Clint's head fell back on his shoulders as he pushed his sunglasses onto his head. "Finished everything except for a project due Tuesday," he said in a drastic monotone.

"Good," Tony said with a nod as Wanda and Darcy came into the room next. "There's my two other flowers. Homework check."

Wanda fixed him with a look that said, 'Really?' because she usually finished her work ahead of time. "How was your trip?" She asked instead of answered.

He smiled wide. "Fantastic." He glanced over at Skye to see her eyebrows raised. "Thank you for asking."

"JARVIS implied I should," she said teasingly before going over to sit down.

"Homework and glasses check from you, missy," Tony said when Darcy gave him a hug. "I don't see them on." He made an exaggerated look over of her face.

"I've been wearing them when I need to," she said, though still sounding unhappy about it. "And I need help with my math homework," she added.

"Sounds like you're making progress," Tony encouraged. "We'll work on it after dinner." He looked around for Pietro and Harley when they weren't forthcoming. "J, where are my other two minions at?"

 _They were finishing a level on their video game, sir._ They are on their way now, JARVIS answered.

Sure enough, the two boys were there a moment later. "Homework check."

"Don't have any," Harley answered with a smirk.

"Jeez, suspension makes no sense as a punishment," Tony quipped out loud and shook his head. He then looked at Pietro.

"Finished it last night with Uncle Happy's help," he answered.

Tony gave an exaggerated grimace. "Remind me to look over it after I finish helping Darcy with her math."

"Hey now," Happy groused. "Just because I'm not some tech genius like you doesn't mean I'm not okay with the middle school stuff." Pepper craned her neck up to look at him with a smile.

Tony flapped a playful hand in his direction before clapping his hands together. "Alright, now that we're all here." He looked at each of their waiting faces. "I have a little bit of news I'd like to share."

"Get on with it, dad," Skye urged.

Tony smiled. "I've met somebody."

For a very brief moment the room was so quiet Tony found it unnerving. Then there was a barrage of questions and comments like bullets.

"Tony, are you serious? At a _conference_?" Pepper asked. He smiled at her incredulity.

"What do you mean you met somebody?" Clint's eyebrows shot up.

"Oh it gets better, just wait," Skye piped in with a smirk and nudge at Sam beside her who nodded.

"A man or woman?" Darcy quizzed.

"It's probably a woman," Pietro suggested.

"But the last person he went on a date with was a man," Wanda countered.

"But he went on two dates with that one woman before that," Pietro countered back.

"Why do you even want to date anyone anyways?" Harley asked with a grimace. "I thought after your last date you said fu—"

"Ah, tsk, no," Tony interrupted him, waving a hand in his direction. "Dad was angry. And that's completely irrelevant at the moment." He looked over at Pepper. "Okay, let's go down the line here. Yes, I'm serious. And trust me the irony is not lost on me at all. And exactly what it sounds like, Clint. I met someone that I'm interested in who is interested in me. Said someone is a man. Sorry, Pietro. I mean, not sorry as in… Never mind. And the reason I would want to date someone is because believe it or not your old man is not over the hill and he wouldn't mind finding somebody special."

"What about mom?" Harley asked next and Tony frowned.

He looked over at Pepper and Happy for support and then back along the line of faces of his children. "Look, I loved your mom. I will always love your mom. But…" His frown deepened. "She's not here anymore. I wish she was. I do. If she was here, as great as this guy is, it wouldn't even be an issue. But I also think your mother, if she could send some kind of message to us, would be okay with my finding somebody else who makes me feel as great as I feel right now."

"We could always get the Long Island medium," Skye suggested and Tony glowered slightly at that idea.

"Tony, this really does sound serious," Pepper interjected, blinking in surprise. "You really like this guy don't you?"

"I really do. I really want to see where this one goes. It feels right," he said with conviction.

"Uh, yeah, he ran after the man this morning at the airport," Skye said with a wry smile. "Of course he was going to just let Dr. Banner slip through his fingertips before me and Sam intervened," she added with a roll of her eyes.

"Dr. Banner?" Pepper, of course, immediately recognized the name and Tony turned to her with a tentative gaze. "Isn't he the man you want to work for us? Tony. Please tell me I don't need to get legal involved. Please tell me this isn't a resurgence of those first two hellish years I was your personal assistant. Because—"

Tony scowled. "Really, Pepper? Two weeks ago I wasn't even dating and you think I'm going to chase down a man in an airport _for that_? Really? I could, in theory, have anyone I wanted for that if I wanted it," he said with a shrug. "I offered him the job before anything happened. Yes, I was attracted to him when I offered the job, but I was careful about it. I wasn't even going to go there at all because I didn't want him to think that's where the job offer was coming from. When things between us sort of happened, but he wasn't sure about it I was going to let him walk away and made it perfectly clear that it wouldn't affect the job offer. I swear, Pep, the job is not an issue here."

Pepper studied him. "You act like you're already crazy about this guy and you… _You_ were going to let him walk away?"

"He had reasonable concerns," Tony hedged.

"Like six kids no doubt," Clint said sardonically.

"If he's special that doesn't matter," Wanda interjected and Tony had to give a soft smile to that. She met his eyes. "Is he special?"

Tony nodded. "I really think he might be, sweetheart. He's… He's brilliant and the life he's had, the things he's bounced back from, just… It's breathtaking. And he's got all of these ideas to help people and make the world a better place with science. And he's easy to talk to and…" He smiled and shook his head. "I know this is a huge leap and maybe I should actually go on a few dates with the man before I start doing this whole spiel, but he's a great guy and I think if you give him a chance, you'll see that."

"He is pretty cool," Sam threw in an effort that Tony was certainly grateful for.

"I can't wait to meet him," Pepper offered in support as well. "But his concerns?"

 _Right_. Tony took a breath. "Well, there's the usual thing. I'm a celebrity and filthy rich and he's never really had even a fraction of that pleasure even though the man is brilliant and deserves just as much accolade. I'm telling you, _brilliant_."

"Dad, you're sapiosexuality is showing," Skye teased and he furrowed his brow.

Wanda huffed. "That isn't even proper Latin," she said with an eye roll. "The term would be at the very least sapiesexual or sapiensexual. This is why you shouldn't be on Tumblr," she then said with a pointed look at her sister.

"You're just jealous dad won't let you actually sign up until you're thirteen like it says in the fine print," Skye fired back.

"Okay, let's stop you two. I have no clue what any of those words mean and I'm not sure I want to so let's move on. There's also the six kids thing," Tony said hesitantly.

"That bothers him?" Pepper asked with a raised eyebrow. "Because I didn't think you would even bother if—"

"It's not that," he cut her off. "He thinks it's great actually. Wanted to hear all about how the genius billionaire with the bad boy past ended up being Forbes' Sexiest Father of the Year." Clint snorted and shook his head and Tony threw him a look of mock offense. "So that doesn't bother him per se. It's just he's in a bit of a unique position himself to be hesitant about—"

Sam's head fell back on his shoulders. "Oh for the love of... What Uncle T is trying to say is Dr. Banner has seven kids."

Again the room fell quiet for a brief, eerie moment. Tony braced himself for the dissent that was to come. Then all at once the kids started debating the topic loudly amongst themselves and he let his head fall forward, debating with himself if he shouldn't just let them work their frustration out on their own.

"Oh my god, Tony," Pepper said as the kids continued and he inclined his gaze towards her. "I let you go to one conference and you manage to find the one man who has more kids than you?" He couldn't tell if she was exasperated, merely in shock, or amused. Maybe it was a little of all three.

"Okay, you didn't _let_ me go. You practically pushed me onto that plane. So technically," he weighed his head back and forth, "this is your fault. So thank you."

She blinked and her head snapped back slightly as she did. "You're thanking me? You actually don't care that he has seven kids?"

"Of course I don't care. I mean, I considered his concerns. But only because he was thinking about both of our situations and wanted to do right by our kids. It made sense. You know the media will eat this up." She winced at that. "But damn it, this kind of thing isn't supposed to be logical. I… We connected and I… I couldn't just let that go without knowing," he insisted a little desperately.

Tony paused then when he realized his kids had all gone silent and were looking at him in various states of shock.

"He _is_ special," Wanda broke the silence with a knowing tone much wiser than her twelve years, or at least Tony thought so.

"Yes, he's special," Tony reiterated. "He's a man who has seven kids and loves them and does everything he can for them. And I know that it's a little crazy for either of us to even consider this and who knows how far _this_ will even go, but please don't begrudge me for wanting to find out. I know that some of you might still have your doubts and need to work through them on your own terms, but I'm not going to just throw him away because you don't want your old man to pursue this. Got it?" There was a silence for a moment until they finally acquiesced. "Good. Thank you. And," he decided to add, "even if nothing comes of it, he's moving to New York to work for me and you'll still hopefully get to know his kids anyway because if nothing else he's the kind of guy I'd like to be friends with."

There was silence again until Pietro asked, "Did he lose his wife too?"

Tony decided that was probably a fair question and should be addressed. "No," he answered. "He's never been married. His family is a little more eclectic than our own. Five of his kids are adopted and the stories are fascinating and a little heartbreaking, but it's not my place to share that with you. The important thing is he doesn't treat them like they're anything other than his own which we know is how it should be," he said with a glance at Wanda and Pietro. "His other two children are his own through surrogacy." He saw a few crinkled brows and sighed. "If you don't know what that is, ask JARVIS and he'll gladly be able to explain it to you without dad making an awkward mess of it."

 _Indubitably, sir,_ the AI intoned with a hint of sass.

Tony laughed slightly before sobering again and giving his kids a careful look.

"I just want you to know, that even if this changes things, it doesn't change things. I love all of you and I love your mother and I'm going to continue to do my best to be your dad first and foremost."

Darcy shot up to her feet. "I think this calls for a group hug!" she said cheerfully and hurried over to him. Tony didn't quite expect all of the others to follow suit, and there was some teasing eye rolls, but they did just the same.


	7. Testing The Waters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW - Bruce reminiscing about his mother, mentions of her death and his feelings of guilt again, and Tony talking about his lonely childhood and absentee parents

"So, for someone who's interested in somebody, you haven't said much about him since Sunday," Betty said casually, coming into their shared office. Bruce looked up from where he was grading finals with a raised eyebrow at the woman's observation. "Have you even spoken with him since? Have you settled how you're going to have your first date?"

Bruce shook his head and looked back down at the paper on his desk. He had told Tony he could call him in a few days. That was Sunday morning and this was Wednesday morning. He didn't think it constituted freaking out about it just yet.

"Did you even give him your number?" Betty suddenly asked and he looked back up at her in amusement.

"No," Bruce replied. "But even if he wasn't a tech genius who could probably…" He looked around the room with a shiver of realization. "…who could probably spy on me without my even knowing it, I'm sure he knows how to find my number and any pertinent information he needs from my application or, this little thing called a phone book."

"Well, an internet phone book," she corrected. "Okay, I know. I'm just so excited for you. It's a little thrilling. A serendipitous meeting with a dreamy billionaire and a long distance romance? It's not like you at all. It's not practical. I'm impressed."

Bruce snorted at her assessment of the situation. "You mean a serendipitous romance between two men who might just be a little crazy if they think this is a good idea," he said dryly. "And, no, I guess it isn't like me. But maybe I'm due a little joie de vivre recklessness." He shrugged.

"More like overdue and for more than just a little," she countered with a warm smile.

He opened his mouth to respond when their attention was turned toward the door. The receptionist was standing there with a delivery man. His brow furrowed and he stood to his feet as the receptionist gestured to him. The delivery man came over and Bruce was too stunned to react.

"Delivery for Dr. Banner," the man said with a smile and held out the vase of roses. Bruce blinked a few times before taking them. "You have a wonderful day," the man then said and left again with the receptionist.

"Bruce!" Betty looked at him with wide, marveling eyes as she hurried over.

Bruce wasn't sure what he was supposed to do other than question reality. He looked down at the lovely roses in the equally beautiful complimentary vase – or, well, he's sure the vase was part of the cost – and noticed the card taped to the front. He tentatively opened it and, as he did, his face began to twitch with the beginnings of a smile as it all started to sink in.

_Bruce,_

_I couldn't find a picket fence... Not sure if you're a flowers kind of guy. You seem like a flowers kind of guy, but I could be wrong. I just like giving gifts (fair warning) and what's more classic than a dozen roses? Only that's a little boring so I thought a baker's dozen might be more fitting in our particular situation. They say 13 is unlucky, but something tells me you and I aren't exactly normal so it's probably lucky for us. So yeah. Flowers. Hope you like them. Actually there was another purpose to this. Not sure when you're free for me to call and email seemed a little impersonal. My personal number is 237-8275. I'm a CEO so my hours are flexible during the day. Give me a call. I'm looking forward to working out when we can see each other again._

_Tony_

_P.S. If you hate flowers just tell me. Honestly I've been with men, but I've never done the dating thing with a man to this extent so feel free to tell me if I'm screwing it up majorly. My ego can handle it._

Bruce was aware he was grinning a little too much like a schoolboy at the moment as he finished reading the handwritten note in the card. He committed Tony's number to memory, laughing a little when he realized it spelled out AESTARK, and then looked at the flowers.

"Thirteen roses," Bruce said in slight awe at the gesture.

"No way," Betty responded in disbelief. "That's so sweet. May I?"

Bruce nodded and handed her the card as he moved back to his chair. He stared at the flowers for a good long moment as Betty made little squeaks over the message from Tony. Finally he couldn't think of any more reasons to delay the moment. He reached for his cell phone and dialed Tony's number.

His breath hitched slightly when he heard Tony's voice on the other end; he'd replayed the sound of Tony's voice over in his mind since returning home, but his imagination wasn't as good as the real thing.

"Hey, Tony. I love flowers."

 

* * *

 

"Okay, okay," Tony said laughing as they sat at the small restaurant that Bruce had picked just outside Willlowdale.

It was a quaint place and exactly the kind of restaurant Tony had envisioned Bruce picking. It wasn't a hole in the wall, but it wasn't exactly five-star. It had made him smile a little that he had already guessed Bruce's general tastes. It was a nice, casual place just right for a first official date.

He tried to stop laughing long enough to continue. "So you're telling me that you actually tricked your entire dorm into thinking you built a functioning teleporter?"

"I did," Bruce said with a wry smile and a shrug. "And I got away with it for weeks until finally the level of gullibility was just too much. I decided to say it broke before somebody tried to submit my name for some Nobel Prize. I actually had a few offers," he finished with a laugh of his own.

"That is unbelievable." Tony shook his head, still smiling in amusement. "I bow to you because that's impressive. You're an actual troll aren't you?"

Bruce shrugged slightly. "Maybe a little," he admitted.

"That’s excellent," Tony said and rubbed his hands together in an exaggerated show of scheming as he tilted his head and studied the physicist.

"Oh no," Bruce deadpanned. "I'm going to regret this."

Tony smirked. "Maybe a little," he echoed. He took a drink before continuing. "Okay, so my turn," he said. They were taking turns sharing random bits and pieces about themselves in a way that Tony thought felt completely natural and not at all awkward like his last few dates. "I actually really like flowers." He hitched a shoulder.

"Yeah?" Bruce asked with a raised brow. "Does it have anything to do with your wife? Dr. Hansen had a degree in botany right?"

Tony smiled at his casual knowledge of Maya, not to mention interest. Most of his last dates had closed off awkwardly, unable to handle the topic of his late wife. He wasn't sure if they'd felt like they would just be second choice or what, but Bruce didn't seem to have that kind of reservation.

"Um, it's perhaps a little to do with her, yeah," Tony answered. "She could name pretty much every plant by species and tell you their function. But maybe because she worked with them, she wasn't what you would say sentimental about flowers in the usual way. If I gave her a dozen roses, she wouldn't really see the flowers so much a romantic gesture as what the scientific properties and uses of those flowers were," he explained. "Which… Yeah I loved that about her so maybe that's why I'm a little partial to them on a more, uh, aesthetic level I guess you could say? Well, that and our three daughters have flower middle names so I also relate flowers with them."

He paused and for a brief moment felt slightly insecure. "I hope that doesn't lessen the gesture of my sending you flowers too," he offered quickly. "I don't want you to feel like—"

"It doesn't," Bruce interjected before he could finish that line of thought. "You like flowers. You equate flowers with special things. I think if anything it makes me feel special," he said reassuringly. "Besides, you don't know enough about me yet to get me something that I might prefer so it's okay, Tony. And I really did love the flowers. I… I thought it was romantic."

Bruce said it like he wasn't accustomed to someone showering him with romantic gestures – frankly, Tony thought that was criminal and had to wonder about how many blind men there were in the world if a guy like Bruce hadn't been snatched up and hoarded like the treasure he obviously was. Tony gave a small internal laugh at his own corny thoughts and decided that he was selfish enough to be grateful for the amount of stupidity and blindness that existed in the world for once.

"I like learning about herbs and plants in general for health purposes. I have an herb garden actually." Tony came back to the present and Bruce was still rambling as if trying to prove to Tony he had liked the flowers. He smiled softly at the effort. "But honestly I _do_ think flowers are beautiful and I like nature in general." He paused and furrowed his brow. "Although you probably gathered that from some of the ideas I shared with you in Germany. I'm curious about your daughters' middle names by the way," Bruce added and though it was said at the end, it didn't sound like just an afterthought; his tone was genuine curiosity.

"You know, I don't know if I would call myself a nature guy intrinsically," Tony admitted. "I couldn't tell you a thing about herb gardens and camping, hiking? Yeah, that's a chore. Don't get me wrong, I love the outdoors. But in doses. I'm admittedly spoiled. Dad didn't take me fishing, he took me yachting… because it was good publicity for me to be at the party and posing like a happy family.

That said, even if I believe in tech and the future and I guess to a healthy extent industry, I wouldn't be in the clean energy business if I didn't agree with you that the world would be better if it was greener. The Maria Stark Foundation donates millions of dollars a year to build green parks across the country, especially in inner cities because it's important to me that we pave the parking lots and put up paradise instead," he mused.

"That's a nice sentiment," Bruce said with a thin smile.

"You're probably a Joni Mitchell fan aren't you?" Tony asked with a studious glance.

"Guilty."

Tony considered the point further. "You know, one thing I love about being a billionaire is having a large home with gardens, access to the ocean and scenic trails. Wanda owns a horse and houses it at nearby stable even, so there's really no shortage of outdoor activities. I can get the outdoors without the roughing it." Tony suddenly laughed a little as he realized now he was the one rambling as if trying to prove a point and Bruce was the one smiling patiently. "That was not meant to sound that boastful by the way," he backtracked.

Bruce shrugged. "Maybe not, but it sounds nice. I'd boast." He paused. "Although, you should maybe know now… I like fishing," Bruce said with a gleam in his eyes. "And I used to think it would be nice to own a log cabin somewhere. Somewhere to escape from it all," he said, still smiling in amusement.

"Oh, well, that's the deal breaker," Tony said with an exaggerated shrug before letting himself smile broadly. "No, see, in reality all that tells me is you and me are potentially looking at a romantic cabin get away some time in the future."

"Careful. I might hold you to that," Bruce said playfully.

Tony liked the implication. "I hope you do," he said. "So as for my daughters' middle names," he started, not having forgotten Bruce's curiosity, "there's Skye Daisy, Wanda Lily, and Darcy Rose. Maya and I didn't set out to do the themed middle name thing, but Wanda didn't have a middle name when we adopted her so we thought maybe it could be a way to help her feel included if we gave her a flower middle name too. Then Darcy was born and we kept the theme."

"I like that. Beautiful names," Bruce said just as their waiter returned with their meals.

They remained silent for several minutes as they took the first few bites of their respective meals.

"I like to read," Bruce offered eventually. Tony raised a brow. "One of the things I like," he elaborated, "is books. I mean I'm kind of a bibliophile. I can't help myself. I relished escaping into books when I was a kid," he explained and in spite of the reasons for it, Tony thought it sounded like a good memory that he had managed to hold onto. "One of my favorite things to do as a dad is sharing some of my favorite classics with my kids, depending on their reading comprehension levels. Right now I'm reading the _Anne of Green Gables_ series with my youngest, Jemma. I'm maybe going to miss it a little when she doesn't ask daddy to read to her every night," he then said with a small sigh as he took another bite of his food.

Tony looked down at his plate and nodded. "Yeah, I understand. I'm kind of wondering what empty nesting will feel like after having so many children," he said, sharing one of his biggest fears because it felt safe to do so.

He had a fear of not being needed anymore by his children. He had a fear of a very large, empty mansion when the kids all moved out on their own, even if they did visit regularly. He had a fear of growing older without finding anyone else to share his world in those lingering later years. But as he looked back up and saw Bruce nodding with a look of absolute empathy, he suddenly had hope that maybe he wouldn't always be alone.

"I tell myself I have 10 or 11 years until Jemma graduates," Bruce said soberly, "unless she graduates earlier of course," he added with a small smile."But even that doesn't seem very long when I think about how it feels like just yesterday Steve was only a little baby fighting to survive. The years just fly by."

Tony smiled softly and reached one hand across to squeeze Bruce's forearm where it rested against the table. "Other parents have survived," he said, willing himself to sound hopeful for the both of them. "I'm sure we will too no matter how impossible that seems now."

Bruce looked down at Tony's hand on his arm and then looked back up and their eyes met. The physicist smiled thinly and placed a hand atop Tony's in an equally reassuring gesture. Their eyes remained fixed on one another in this state for a moment longer before breaking away and returning to their meals and easier conversation.

Though the topic changed, Tony felt pretty certain that there had been an unspoken promise between them that no matter where this thing went, they would be there for one another as friends and maybe that would help ease any future struggles they both went through as fathers. Of course, there might have even been an unspoken hope that this thing did go somewhere and that this was just one of the potential struggles they would share together.

 

* * *

 

The restaurant that Bruce had picked was near a canal. He might have picked it for that purpose which is to say he might have picked it in hopes of extending their first date beyond just a casual dinner to a casual stroll along the canal. Thankfully his pick had not been in vain and he found himself walking alongside Tony in the growing dusk as the atmosphere of night life along the canal – which included many couples like themselves – filled his senses. It was calm and relaxing and, of course, his idea of romantic.

As they walked they filled the space around them with more tidbits about themselves by asking one another random questions.

"You don't have to answer this one," Tony hedged on his next question, "but what was your mother like?"

Bruce smiled softly. He missed her and there was so much sadness in their short life together, but it was an easily answered question just the same.

"Beautiful. Inside and out," he started. "She deserved the world and maybe the moon to go with it. She was like… She was like a lullaby. I know that maybe sounds weird—"

"No, not at all," Tony interjected. "Lullabies are… They're safe, soothing, familiar."

"Yeah," Bruce confirmed softly. "I think a small part of her still loved my dad simply because she didn't know how not to. I wish she hadn't of course, but most of what I remember of her is just love. So much love. She loved me and did everything she could to protect me. God, she gave her _life_ to try and protect me. She was brave, strong, a… a hero really. I wish I could have been the hero she needed…"

"You were just a kid," Tony said soothingly, brushing their arms together as he leaned in to say it. "That's not a kid's job." He shook his head and straightened again. "I should know. I think my dad wanted me to be perfect. Wanted me to, I don't know, probably be some kind of Golden Child savior before I could walk or something. Because that's the only way I can imagine I would have lived up to whatever expectations he had for me. But I was a kid and I couldn't do it."

Bruce looked at him in empathy. "You're right. It wasn't our job. But you did do so much, Tony. He might not have seen that or made it clear that he saw it," he hedged since he hadn't known Howard Stark personally to know if it was just a matter of not seeing it or not being able to show it, "but others did and it doesn't change what you achieved." Bruce paused. "Okay, what's the achievement _you_ are most proud of? Because that's what matters to me and I'd love to know."

Tony looked at him, blinking before looking back ahead of them as they walked. "Achievement I'm most proud of?" He echoed the question.

"Besides your kids," Bruce added.

"Okay. Well, my dad actually came up with arc reactor technology and I just sort of perfected it," he said easily with just enough ego. "So I can't say that. But I wouldn't anyways. I think that honor probably belongs to JARVIS."

"JARVIS… He's the AI you created in college right? The one on your phone?" Bruce looked sidelong at him.

"Yeah, that's him. He's way more advanced now than when I built him, but there's still room for improvement. I update his code once or twice a year, make improvements, and check for any bugs or lapses I might have missed or inadvertently caused with past improvements. He's constantly evolving. Eventually I'd like for him to be able to do that on his own. To self repair, suggest his own updates, that sort of thing. He's almost there, but not quite." He paused. "Uh, mostly because—"

"Skynet?" Bruce asked teasingly.

"Yeah. Maybe," Tony answered with a chuckle. "He's already pretty sentient so it might be too late. Fair warning," he joked. "But I don't know if I want him to have that much self-awareness as his main function is still to help protect me and my children. But, yeah, he's my greatest achievement. And there's maybe a little sentimental value since Jarvis was the name of my butler growing up."

"You had a butler?" Bruce probably shouldn't have been too surprised.

"He was more than that," Tony replied in a fond tone. "Sometimes he was all I had."

"Oh." Bruce knew that Tony was asking for him to feel sorry for him, but he did feel sad for him.

"When dad was being dad and mom was… burned out from trying I guess."

"I'm glad you at least had him," he said honestly and Tony looked slightly surprised. "You know, you said you wish we could have been friends and you're right. That would have been nice, but not just for me. You needed someone too."

"You don't really have to do the poor little rich boy thing," Tony said, sounding uncertain.

Bruce reached over and squeezed his arm, taking him slightly by surprise given his expression. "I know. That's not what I'm trying to do, but our situations weren't so different." He shrugged.

"How do you figure that?" Tony asked curiously and with one swift movement moved Bruce's hand down to his own and linked them together as they continued to walk. Bruce smiled softly, more than okay with the change.

"Our fathers didn't know how to be fathers and you mentioned your mother tried even if she wasn't perfect." Tony nodded gently. "We had people that weren't our parents take over for them, Jarvis for you and my extended family for me. We were both troubled even if in different ways. We both were in our fathers' shadows. We both needed a friend," he explained. "But I think the most important things is we both turned out okay," he finished and squeezed Tony's hand.

They were silent for a moment as they continued to walk. Bruce was still musing on the similarities between them in spite of how different their backgrounds were. He had never given much thought to fate and coincidence and serendipity with the exception of how his adopted kids were brought into his life – and even then he wished Peter and Natasha had never had to go through the pain they did to get to him – but there was a small part of him that was starting to feel as though he had been meant to meet Tony just as much as he had been meant to have seven kids. Ever since Tony's speech at the airport Bruce couldn't deny that what was spurring him on in this crazy venture was how much he didn't want to miss out on what maybe was always meant to be a part of his life. And as crazy as it seemed, walking hand in hand with Tony Stark felt like something that was always meant to be a part of his life. The only thing that dimmed the feeling was wondering how long it was meant to be part of his life.

"I think they have the right idea," Tony said, gently interrupting his thoughts.

Bruce could hear the smile in his voice and looked to see him nodding up toward a walking bridge. There was a younger couple lost in what looked like a tender kiss. Bruce nodded in agreement, a smile touching his own face.

Bruce wasn't surprised when Tony stopped walking as they moved into the low lit underpass beneath said walking bridge. He stopped as well and turned to look into Tony's eyes, dark and inviting, before closing his eyes in tandem with Tony's. Two of their hands were still linked as they melted into the kiss, the kiss that would maybe tell them if the spark that was there in Germany was still there after they'd left the bubble of that place. And because the spark was most certainly still there – _god was it there_ – Bruce's other hand moved into the short hairs at the nape of Tony's neck and Tony's free hand moved to cup his face as if both wanting to hold the other in place for as long as they could.

"This is right isn't it?" Tony asked breathlessly against his lips, neither of them moving very far apart when they broke the kiss. "It still feels right?" 

Tony sounded hopeful. Bruce wasn't sure why he needed the reassurance at this point, but he wasn't one who could judge where that matter was concerned - especially since he was reassured that Tony wanted that reassurance. 

"It does," he said in a low voice and then their lips were together again for another kiss, slow and meaningful.

"Another date?" Tony asked the next time they pulled apart, this time breaking away entirely so that they could regain their senses enough to continue their walk.

"It might still be crazy," Bruce said with a small, breathless laugh. "But yes. Definitely yes."

 

* * *

 

"Look at you, man." Rhodey broke through Tony's thoughts.

He was cycling through a bunch of gift ideas he'd narrowed down to give to Bruce on their second date. He knew it wasn't probably normal to give a gift on a second date, but this wasn't a normal second date and he now knew more about Bruce beyond a general appreciation of flowers so he definitely wanted to give him a gift. He kept coming back to a book. The only problem was he wasn't certain Bruce didn't already own it, if he was a self-professed bibliophile, and it was maybe a little more personal to himself since it was one of his favorites growing up.

Tony shook his head at the holographic screen before swiping it away. He then turned his attention to Rhodey. He had a weekend leave to spend with Sam, but had obviously not expected to have to play wingman when he'd gotten there. 

"So," Rhodey continued now that Tony was paying attention to him, "you meet a guy at a conference. You ask the guy to come work for you. In a bizarre twist of fate that only you could have met with because let's face it, Tony, _it's you_ , the guy has seven kids. And now you've only been on one date, but you're scrambling about like if either one of you proposed tomorrow it would be the most normal thing in the world." Rhodey shook his head with a bright smile. "Heads up, if you need a best man I'm going to need at least a short notice to request an extended furlough."

Tony shook his own head even as he ducked it and smiled a little too much at Rhodey's ribbing.

"I'm scrambling because I'm nervous," Tony admitted.

"Yeah, I gathered that," Rhodey said mercilessly, albeit in good-humor, as he sat down in a nearby seat. "So what's got you nervous? You've already spent, what, you said three days with the guy? And you've been on one date. Sounds like it's going okay. And I'm pretty sure it's the third one that's the tell-all, not second," he added in jest.

"Hilarious," Tony deadpanned.

It wasn't that he hadn't given _any_ thought to that but he wasn't going to insist on sex just because of some rule. They were already so compatible he was pretty damn certain they would be physically compatible too. It just made sense the way everything was going. And Tony didn't play by rules anyway so like hell he was going to let that be a tell-all regarding their relationship. Tony cleared his thoughts of that, because again he _had_ thought about it - after all, who could blame him? - and now wasn't the time

He sighed, returning to the point at hand. "I'm meeting his kids tomorrow."

"You're kidding?" Rhodey looked as skeptical as he sounded.

"Nope."

"On a second date?" Rhodey pressed on dubiously.

"Yes." Tony fixed him with a look that said 'which part of this isn't clear?' "We decided that it's better to bring the kids into this sooner rather than later. Since, well, it's clearly a bigger issue for us than other couples with kids. I want to meet his kids and he wants to meet mine." Tony paused and articulated his next point with his hand, thinking it through even as he spoke it. "I think we're doing a lot of this on sheer instinct maybe. Because everything so far has been a lot of just going with it and taking chances. It's all been a little unorthodox maybe. But at the same time it feels right. And it felt right bringing the kids into this. So, yes. I'm meeting his kids tomorrow. Going to his house for dinner." He didn't miss the way Rhodey's eyebrows shot upward impishly. "And yeah I'm pretty sure this is the equivalent of going to meet his parents… only maybe worse because I'd rather face a shotgun than seven disapproving children," he ended with a small laugh.

Rhodey laughed outright as his dithyramb came to a finish. "Okay, yeah, yeah. You've got it bad." Rhodey sobered up again and looked at him with a genuinely friendly smile. "But I'm happy for you. You deserve this." He then gave a shrug, palms rising upward slightly. "Or you deserve to have your head examined because the dude's got seven kids. But good luck. What about _your_ kids? How are they taking it?"

"Well, Skye's okay with it. Wanda is too. Probably the only thing they agree on," he said bemused. "Not really sure where the others stand yet. I don't want to push them too hard. I get that just because I've found someone doesn't mean they share the sentiment of trying to move on." He paused and hitched a shoulder. "But Pepper says I shouldn't give them too much leeway unless they absolutely hate the guy – impossible by the way – or it's hurting them too much. Otherwise she thinks this is a good step that Maya would want for them just as much for me. Frankly, I just think she thinks she's some matchmaker slash therapist all of a sudden since she told me to go to the conference."

"I agree with her actually," Rhodey said after a moment. "Not that you're not doing a great job on your own, Tone, or you're not fiercely loyal to Maya's memory, but I think whether it's this Dr. Banner or somebody else, you're not going to do the bachelor thing the rest of your life. I've never thought that."

"Really?" Tony asked in slight surprise.

"I always figured your loneliness would catch up with you again." He shrugged apologetically. Tony didn't make an effort to counter him. "And this is obviously the healthier option for you and your kids," he added with enough concern that Tony understood he meant the alternative could be a resurgence of his past vices. "So it's for the best that they see that now and come to grips with it."

Tony cocked his head back and looked at Rhodey with squinted eyes. "You realize you just made my earlier point about why Bruce and I are involving the children sooner rather than later, right?"

Rhodey's eyes darted slowly around as if considering it. He then snorted. "Well, there you go. Guess it's a fair point."

"I appreciate the seal of approval," Tony offered genuinely. He then looked down uncertainly for a moment. "Because eventually I'm going to want to bring him here to meet my kids next. And then if that goes well we're going to want our kids to meet. And…" He looked back up Rhodey expectantly.

"And then you become _The Brady Bunch_?" Rhodey asked teasingly. Tony frowned. "Look, if you're worried about Sam, I trust you okay?" Tony gave a sigh of relief, but Rhodey laughed. "I let you take my son to Germany, Tony. And he already met the guy there. It's a little late to be playing the responsible guardian card."

Tony's eyes widened and he barked out a laugh. "Yeah, didn't think that one through. Still it might be a little different inviting him, you know, into the safety of the home. So the point stands. And I wasn't sure how you might feel about Sam being caught up in our…" He searched for the right word.

"Three ring circus?" Rhodey asked with a raised eyebrow and smirk. "Yeah, I kind of gave up on worrying about that three or four tours ago. You know, that time the papz finally got a picture of him published and everyone wondered when you adopted a black kid?" He asked with a laugh.

"To be fair some of the smarter rags put two and two together that he was your kid—"

"And then proceeded to accuse us of having an affair," Rhodey reminded him, although Tony didn't need it.

They both started laughing at the shared memory of the ridiculous stories that had followed.

"Oh, oh, well… I hope you weren't really interested because, sorry, you missed out," Tony goaded through their laughter.

Rhodey shot him an incredulous look even as they still laughed. "I think the term is lucked out. Dr. Banner can have you."

Tony's laughter became the silent kind, his shoulders shuddering and his head shaking. "Good. Because I really don't want to have to give you the 'look I like you, but we're just friends' talk."

"What's so funny?" Sam asked as he came into the room in the middle of their conversation. He and Rhodey were about to leave for a father-son excursion, as Tony referred to it playfully; in actuality they were heading out to spend time just the two of them.

Tony's eyes lit up with a mischievous thought. He then glanced at Rhodey.

"Just talking about that time your dad and I were having an affair," Tony answered Sam's question in a conversational tone.

The expression on Sam's face Tony couldn't describe even if he tried. "Wh— I… _What_?" He looked back and forth between them as if pleading for it to be a joke. Finally Rhodey's straight face cracked and he started laughing all over again. "Okay, I'm gonna need facts," Sam said.

"Relax," Tony said with a chortle. "It was a rag spread about us. When you were younger the papz got a picture of you and me and thought it was because your dad and I were a thing."

"That's really not that much better," Sam said, flopping down in a seat beside his dad.

"Ouch," Tony said melodramatically. "Harsh. You know, I do let you stay here for free and give you all the things I give my own kids. I feel hurt that you don't think I would make a good catch for your dad… hypothetically speaking."

Rhodey snorted. "Emphasis on hypothetical. And oh so _you're_ the catch?"

"Catch of the day maybe," Sam said, nudging his dad. Rhodey laughed in agreement and the two bumped their fists together, although they had their own more elaborate fist bump.

"Okay, see this is why I'm with Bruce." Tony wagged a finger at them. He looked at Rhodey teasingly. "So you're just going to have to crank up your Taylor Swift playlist and move on."

"Right. Right." Rhodey nodded. "I'll do that right after you're done listening to Justin Bieber to psych yourself up for your next date. We all know _Boyfriend_ is your jam right now."

"Uh huh, yeah, well, while you two are busy being hip dads," Sam said, standing back up to his feet, "I'll be in the car listening to _Trouble Man_."

"Where did we go wrong with him, Rhodey?" Tony asked loudly over his shoulder as Sam left the room, shaking his head as he did. He then turned back with another small laugh. "So, you know, she wasn't my type, but I should set you up with Vice Principal Hill when you get back into town," he said then without segue way.

Rhodey raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, you should probably get through at least a few more dates before you do the thing."

"The thing?"

"Yeah, you know. The whole 'I love _love_ and want all of my single friends to be happy too!'" Rhodey said it in a mocking falsetto that sounded nothing like him _at all_ and ended it with a dramatic sigh. "That thing."

Tony waited a beat. "That wasn't a no."

Rhodey shrugged. "It wasn't a no," he agreed and Tony smirked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Tony liking flowers and giving Wanda and Darcy flower middle names was initially inspired by the fact I knew from the get go that I wanted to allude to Skye also being Daisy. As I went along writing it just kind of fell into place from there because I also wanted from the get go for there to be a sappy moment where one of them bought the other 13 roses instead of 12. When I remembered Maya's botany background, thought about the Skye/Daisy connection, it just sort of made sense in my head for Tony to be the slight sentimentalist for flowers in the context of this story and I thought it worked nicely in tandem with my pet headcanon of Bruce wanting the picket fence with roses.  
> 2\. None of the other kids' middle names will be revealed oops.   
> 3\. About JARVIS - In this story, JARVIS is not the absolute impenetrable AI he is in the movies. He has limitations and while developing sentience there can be lapses in his coding like all AIs can have (he even has them in the movies, whether via plot hole or necessary plot device). Even with Tony's genius, these things happen - especially since in this story he's, you know, not devoting all of his time to JARVIS and his bots given his other responsibilities. There may or may not be a plot device purpose for this characterization of course.


	8. Slumming, Dogs, Billionaires

Bruce was typically a force of tranquility. It was a skill he had developed over the years since his angry youth. He had to be good and angry to lose his control and lash out, but at the moment he was more than a little frantic as he prepared dinner for his seven kids _and_ Tony.

Their first date had been so good that there had been no hesitation, no debating whether or not to continue. In fact, over the entire course of the first date Bruce had been so glad he had decided to take the chance for one proper date. It had been natural and easy and, just like in Germany, it felt like he had been talking to Tony and sharing things with him for years. It didn't make sense and yet it did in a thrilling kind of way and no matter the consequences he wasn't ready to give that up just because of convention.

Then again, this was a horse of a different color altogether. The date had gone so well and they had already shared so much of themselves with one another that it had seemed like a good second date should involve one of them meeting the other's children since it was such a critical part of their respective lives. Based on schedule and convenience, they had decided on Tony coming to dinner to meet Bruce's kids first. Which was wonderful and Bruce was excited, but that excitement was mingled with a good deal of anxiety.

Entertaining Tony in his humble house with a meal he had prepared himself and with seven kids who might say or do anything could change the game and not for his benefit. As he scrambled to set the table, with Jemma's help, and asked Steve to make sure the baked ziti was started in the oven at a specific time while he went to finish getting cleaned up, he couldn't help but wonder if Tony would realize just what it meant to be involved with a simple man like himself and change his mind.

He shook those thoughts aside as he made his way to his bedroom and started unbuttoning his shirt. He shifted his thoughts to looking through his modest closet for a different one.

"See, this is why I told you to wait until after the third date to invite a guy over," Natasha interrupted his thoughts with a laugh and he turned to see both her and Loki standing just inside the doorway with equally judgmental expressions. "You're an absolute wreck and you haven't even gotten any yet."

Bruce rolled his eyes and went back to looking through his closet, choosing to ignore her as he didn't have time for that conversation right now. He pulled out a purple button up and a black one and weighed them back and forth considering.

"The purple one," Loki suggested.

"Really?" Bruce held it out further and studied it before looking over at his son. "Don't think that's a little conspicuous?"

"Well, you're in your own home," Loki pointed out. "Why not wear something a little more colorful that you're comfortable in? Besides, we've all said it before, father. Purple is your color." Beside him Natasha hummed in agreement.

Bruce chuckled slightly, but gave in to his son's advice. He put the other shirt back in the closet, removed the purple shirt from the hangar and then slipped it on. "Maybe one of these days I'll actually believe that," he said with a smile and shake of his head as he started buttoning his new shirt.

"Dad, relax," Natasha urged him. "It'll be fine. We'll all be on our best behavior."

Bruce snorted. "Oh, yes. Let's lure him in with false security. Excellent idea."

"Only until the—" Natasha started and he looked at her sharply, effectively cutting that statement off.

"I swear, Tasha if you say third date one more time, I might actually ground you. It's… It's starting to concern me a little," he said genuinely as he moved toward the bathroom to fix his hair.

"It _is_ rather plebeian to fixate so much of a relationship on sex," Loki said, but the inflection of his voice made it sound as if there was some inside joke to his comment that Bruce was missing. Before he could consider it further Loki continued. "There's more than that to compatibility. And many are starting to adhere to the five date rule when looking for a long term relationship."

"I don't see the difference two dates can make," Thor chimed in and Bruce ducked his head out to see his other son was standing in the doorway of the room.

"Oh god, would you…" He took a breath to calm himself. "Would my angelic children please stop standing around in my bedroom discussing the logistics of when to first have sex with somebody?" He shook his head and went back to fixing his hair, or attempting to. "If it happens," he pitched his voice louder, "it'll happen when it feels right and not just because there's some magical timeline. Besides, I spent three days with the man which makes this kind of the third date, if not officially. And obviously nothing's going to happen tonight." He ducked his head out again to look at his children. "Now one of you, please make sure Peter is actually getting ready." Thor left to do that. "And has anyone fed Hulk?"

Both Natasha and Loki shared a grimace between them, but left just the same to do that or something else. He didn't care as long as they weren't standing around in his bedroom making him more nervous. He loved them, but he needed a little peace at the moment.

Bruce took a few swipes through his waves with his comb to make sure they were good and, well, somewhat more tame than they had been due to his working in the kitchen. He then washed his face, needlessly brushed his teeth, and freshened up his deodorant with a dab of cologne just to be on the safe side. Satisfied, or at least deciding it was as good as it was going to get for the evening, he returned to finish in the kitchen and make sure his kids were ready since Tony was sure to be there any minute.

"Alright, everything's on the table. Extra chair. Head count…" He was in the middle of mumbling to himself and fidgeting with minute details like rolling up his sleeves to his elbow when the doorbell rang. His heart nearly leapt out of his chest. It was beating faster than before their first date.

Bruce steadied himself and quickly made his way over to the door. He opened it and Tony stood there somehow looking just as handsome and put together as ever with sunglasses, an AC/DC shirt and, no doubt expensive, jeans. He was immediately glad he took Loki's advice and had gone with his more worn down and colorful shirt option.

"You look amazing," Tony said without preamble and Bruce blinked. "Seriously, purple… Purple looks fantastic on you. You've been holding out," he said in a genuine tone as he came into the house.

"You're not the first person to say that," Bruce finally replied and then looked down at the book Tony held out in one hand. He furrowed his brow as he took it. " _Around The World in 80 Days_?"

"Not flowers, but you said you're a bibliophile and that is absolutely one of my favorites. I'm sure Jemma would love it," Tony explained

Bruce blinked again and then looked back up at Tony. "I… I love this book," he said. "It's definitely one of my favorite classics."

"Really?" Tony sounded pleased.

"Yeah. I mean, what's not to love? It's Jules Verne. And it inspired so many real life attempts."

"Yeah, I was thinking you could supplement it with the story of Nellie Bly. Definitely inspiring," Tony replied and Bruce smiled in agreement. "Although I have to admit my favorite is the legend of Harry Bensley. The—"

"Rich playboy who attempted to walk around the world in an iron mask looking for a wife without letting her see his face," Bruce completed with an enthusiastic nod of his head, not meaning to cut him off but unable to help it.

"I love that you know that," Tony said with an impressed, Cheshire grin.

Bruce shrugged. "Well, that's definitely the one that's most memorable to me. There's just something a little intriguing about his particular tale, whatever the truth of the story is. And the stuff that happened later is interesting too. After WWI he only worked blue-collar jobs like at the YMCA. And he was a bomb checker in the Second World War. It's fascinating stuff." He glanced down at the book. "Thank you," he said and when he glanced back up he got a little lost in Tony's eyes as they seem fixed on his own.

Natasha cleared her throat, startling them both into looking over at the line of kids. Bruce winced a little at the fact that he forgot they were even in the room. That was certainly an interesting development, he mused, if Tony could capture his attention that much. He carefully set the book down on the nearby bookshelf and then moved to stand in the gap between Steve and Thor, though he stood behind them.

"This is my oldest Steve," Bruce said, beginning the formal introductions. Tony might already know them by name and face, but it just seemed like the right thing to do.

"Nice to meet you, Steve." Tony reached out a hand and Steve, ever his gentleman son, shook it politely.

"And you, Mr. Stark. As the oldest I feel I should get this out of the way now," Steve started and Bruce suddenly felt a spike of dread, but it eased quickly after. "I love my dad. We all do. I'd prefer it if you didn't hurt him."

Tony smiled. "I'd prefer that too," Tony assured him and Steve nodded.

"I'm Thor," Thor introduced himself and Bruce was fairly certain Tony winced a little at his second son's strong handshake. "My real name is Jakob and some people call me Jake. But I prefer Thor."

"Thor, got it," Tony said and Bruce noted with a wry smile the way he subtly flexed his fingers.

"This is Loki. Loren, but he prefers Loki," Bruce introduced his third son.

Tony held out a hand and Loki looked at it warily. "I don't care much for shaking hands with people," Loki said and Bruce was glad he at least managed to sound politely apologetic about it, somewhat.

Tony let his hand fall. "Hey, no problem. We all have our things. I don’t like to be handed stuff. Weird sort of neurosis where I have exceptions to who can hand me things otherwise it makes me feel uncomfortable for ages afterward." Bruce smiled knowing that he had quickly become one of those exceptions. "Nice to meet you just the same."

"Likewise," Loki said evenly in that tone that made Bruce a little unsure about his thoughts on the situation.

"I'm Natasha," Natasha said next and held out her hand first. Even without seeing her face, Bruce could tell she was making a calculating assessment of Tony. "I guess you're handsome enough," she said and Bruce nearly choked. "And the book was inspired."

"I think I get it. You just want the best for you dad," Tony said, though Bruce thought he seemed slightly intimidated by his forward daughter.

"I do. And Steve isn't the child to worry about if you hurt him," she added coolly. "But it's nice to meet you."

"Ah, yeah…" Tony definitely gave a nervous chuckle and Bruce was torn between laughing as well or just burying his head somewhere. "Same to you, Natasha." Tony then looked at Jane. "Well, you look familiar," he said, recovering with a blinding smile. "Have we met before?"

"Hi, Tony!" Jane gave him an easy hug and Bruce was reminded of how glad he was to have one ardent supporter in all of this madness. "I've been studying all about arc reactor technology and there are so many implications for its use in space travel."

"Impressive," Tony encouraged. "Skye says hello. Sam probably would have, but his father had a long weekend so he's with him."

"This is Peter," Bruce motioned next to his youngest son.

"Peter huh? You know I kind of have a Peter of my own," Tony said with a smile as he looked at the boy.

"You do?" Peter asked. "Wouldn't that be confusing?" He then asked accusingly and looked up at Bruce with a slight grimace.

"Sorry, he's… He's still acclimating to the idea of dad seeing somebody," Bruce apologized.

"I'm sure they all are. Mine included," Tony said with a minute flap of his hand before looking at Peter again. "I have a son name Pietro. Which in other countries is the equivalent of Peter," he explained.

"So his name is Peter, but it isn't? Would I be Pietro if I went over to another country?"

Tony gave a soft laugh. "No, you'd still be Peter. But if you had been born in another country, your name might be Pietro, or Petri, or Petru even. Names are cool like that."

"Oh," Peter said and then pushed his glasses up on his nose. "Still maybe confusing," he said with a shrug.

"And that leaves Jemma," Bruce said with a smile as he moved to stand behind his youngest, unsure of if she would be shy or precocious since it really depended on the stranger and how comfortable she felt.

Tony crouched down in front of her. "Hi, Jemma. It's a pleasure to meet you. I bet it's not always easy being the youngest of seven is it?"

"You have no idea," Jemma answered and Bruce saw her shoulders deflate a little in ease.

Tony smiled warmly and shook his head. "No, I wouldn't. I was an only child. But that got kind of lonely sometimes so I'm just a little bit jealous of you and your brothers and sisters. You know it's been a while since any of my kids were as little as you. Mind if I give you a hug?"

Jemma hesitated and Bruce watched on in curiosity, but then she nodded and Tony gave her a gentle hug just as the timer went off on the oven. With a smile Bruce broke away from the group which quickly turned into a small circus as the kids scattered to get drinks and to start helping themselves to the salad that Steve pulled from the refrigerator and set on the table.

As he pulled the baked ziti out, Bruce noted behind him that Thor and Jane took it on themselves to offer Tony drinks or any other assistance as well as showing him to his seat at the table. And from what he could tell Jane was making it her goal to snag one of the seats on either side of the billionaire. When he turned around to bring the hot dish over to the middle of the table he was a little surprised to see Peter had snagged the other seat beside Tony.

He went back to the kitchen momentarily to discard his hot gloves and to grab his own drink, which was just iced water, before returning and settling in a seat between Jemma and Natasha. The seat was slightly across from Tony, though not directly as the table was made for eight and not nine. He was immediately grateful though that the table had a little extra give in the space to add the ninth chair when they had guests, even if it was a tighter fit.

As he prepared his salad, looking around the table while he did, he had a sudden and perhaps a little overwhelming curiosity over how it would be possible to eat at a table big enough for fifteen, or sixteen including Sam. His mind ran through a series of images of old time dining rooms of stately lords and dinner parties. He could just imagine the chaos of everyone having to pass items around or shouting down the table, which no doubt the kids would do at some point. It… was both terrifying and intriguing.

"This looks and smells delicious," Tony said, interrupting his thoughts. He looked to see Tony placing some of the ziti on his plate.

"Dad's an excellent cook," Jane supplied with a smile.

Tony tilted his head. "He is? Are you just the complete package, Dr. Banner?"

Bruce gave an embarrassed chuckle and ducked his head. "I don't know about excellent. And, no, I have my character flaws. Believe me. Don't ever get me drunk," he said as an afterthought, eyes widening when he realized what he had said. He looked up at Tony in slight horror, but Tony's face wasn't judgmental or horrified.

"No need to explain. I think I can guess what you're getting at," Tony said with a hitch of his shoulder. "And for the record, I have a temper too. I can be pretty tenacious in a board room. And don't even think about messing with my kids or anyone I care about for that matter. It won't end well."

Bruce smiled wanly at that. "Yeah, I think we're both the same there." He didn't add that he had used to lose his temper over much less important things in the past and that sometimes the temptation was still there, like a mocking reminder of the horrible example his father had set for him.

His smile must have turned into a frown, reflecting his self-deprecating thoughts because he caught a glimpse of Tony's concerned expression before the billionaire looked at Steve in an obvious effort to change the subject.

"I hear you run track, Steve," Tony said.

"I do," Steve replied. "Fastest in the state," he said proudly before taking a bite of his salad.

"Awesome. I have guardianship over my best friend's son, Sam and he holds a few track records so you two would probably get along."

"Oh?" was Steve's only response, but Bruce could hear the genuineness of it.

"Yeah. Or you could put him through the paces and he'd resent you," Tony added jokingly. "Nah, he's a good kid. He has a lot of respect for other people if he thinks they deserve it."

"He's really nice," Jane added. "And funny."

"He is," Tony agreed. "Also, my son Pietro is gearing up to be a pretty good track star himself when he gets to high school." He paused. "Or maybe a race car driver. I swear, that kid never sits still and I'm not even sure they've invented a modem of transportation fast enough for him. I think somehow he inherited my adrenaline addiction," he said and Bruce knew there was an unspoken, _even though he isn't my biological son._ He had to admit it was strange how that worked out. He could see glimpses of himself in his adopted children in spite of the lack of genetics. It was what convinced him they were meant to be his children regardless of parentage. "He's also big into surfing right now. What about you, Thor? Not to make a blanket assumption here, but you look like you'd be right at home on a surfboard."

Bruce looked over at his son to see the way his face twitched slightly before spreading into a sad sort of smile. "I surfed a few times with my father when I was younger, when we sometimes visited our aunt, uncle and cousin in California. The summer Natasha came to live with us was the last time. It was fun and sometimes I wish I could have learned more."

"You surf?" Tony looked at Bruce curiously.

"Not in ages like Thor said, but a little," he answered with a thin smile.

"Huh. Well, Thor, I guess when you come to New York you'll have to check out the surf. My son has an excellent instructor," Tony suggested and Bruce watched as Thor's smile widened at the prospect.

"That sounds amazing."

Conversation was paused for a moment and they ate in silence.

"This really is delicious," Tony broke the silence again. "I've had to learn the basics of how to cook. With some, uh, helpful tips from the private chef I have on hire for when I'm away or I need to throw the occasional dinner party. And I got some help from my butler Jarvis when I was a kid," Tony explained a little sheepishly. "There's also my son Clint. He's a big help. He picked up on the cooking instruction from our chef faster than I did so sometimes I don't even bother with the private chef when I'm away anymore. Like tonight, he's got it covered."

"You talk a lot," Jemma said observationally and Bruce's eyes widened.

"Yes, that's definitely something I do," Tony said with an easy laugh.

"That's interesting," Natasha narrowed her eyes beside Bruce, "because dad isn't exactly verbose."

"I… uh…" Bruce furrowed his brow. "I don't exactly ramble, no, but I'm not strictly the silent type either," he said a little defensively. "I like to think of it as talking when it matters about the things that matter or, or when I'm in the mood to talk." He looked around at his older kids and the considering looks they were giving each other.

"And he could talk for days about you guys," Tony offered helpfully and Bruce met his supportive gaze, relishing in it a little. "But you know what they say about opposites," he then added with a small smile.

"They attract," Jemma supplied with a grin.

Tony smiled wider. "That they do. Not that we're polar opposites though."

"No," Bruce agreed. "But enough to keep it interesting," he said with a quirk of his lips.

"Not to interrupt this sappy moment between clandestine souls," Loki drawled somewhat sardonically and Bruce frowned at him. "Peter has a jar of spiders under the table."

"Snitch!" Peter shouted as Bruce's eyes widened in dread.

" _Peter_?" He gave him a stern look. The boy huffed and lifted up a glass jar full of garden variety spiders.

"Ewwwwww!" Jemma shrieked.

"I can't look," Jane said and shielded her eyes with her hand.

"Yeah that's really gross, Pete," Steve said with a disgusted look.

Meanwhile Thor and Natasha chuckled and Bruce tried to school his conflicting emotions so as not to create a further scene. However to his surprise Tony started laughing. He looked at him strangely.

"I was starting to worry I'm a horrible father or something as good as your kids were being," Tony said between laughs. "But it's good to see your kids are still just kids when push comes to shove," he said shaking his head. "Here, let me see your spiders, Petey," he then said, more surprisingly, and Peter offered the jar over. "You know, you shouldn't take these guys from their natural habitat unless you have a purpose for them. Planning on experimenting on them?" He asked teasingly and Peter looked horrified at the notion. "These guys belong in the garden, helping the eco-system and keeping pests from raiding your kitchen," Tony explained breezily before handing the jar back to Peter.

"And they most, most definitely do not belong in the house or at the dinner table," Bruce finally admonished. "I was lenient with the class pet, but that was different. I don't want you just scooping up spiders and bringing them in, Peter."

"You afraid of spiders?" Tony asked with a small smirk.

"Not objectively," Bruce replied. "But I'm not in love with them either. And I'd prefer they stay in their natural habitat."

Tony didn't push the issue, just nodded. Then he stood and pushed back from the table. "Well, Peter, you heard your dad. Why don't we go release these little guys into the wild? Hmm? It'll be fun. Just like _Free Willy_. With lots of legs and no touching Michael Jackson ballad in the background." Bruce laughed at the notion.

"What's _Free Willy_?" Peter asked dubiously as he stood as well.

"What's Free…?" Tony looked at Bruce. "We're going to have to share with him the wonder that is _Free Willy_ , Bruce," he said with an amusing amount of conviction before following Peter outside.

"Alright, dad," Natasha said after Tony was gone. "I have to admit. He's a keeper."

The rest of the meal went more smoothly, with Tony prompting Bruce's kids with more conversation about themselves and their interests. Bruce wasn't only pleasantly surprised by the way Tony seemed to get them each to open up in their own way, like it was a natural gift he possessed, he was also surprised to learn a few things about his own kids in the process. He'd no idea that Loki had wanted for some years to learn horseback riding or that Steve was starting to feel torn between the military as an actual career and his passion for art.

After dinner they played a game of Pictionary and then as the evening wound down and Tony was clearly lingering, the billionaire joined him outside in the dying sunlight. Peter and Jemma were playing with Hulk as usual, though Jane was as well, and James had showed up for a little bit to hang out with Steve, Natasha and Thor. Only Loki was doing his loner act inside the house, having picked up _Around the World in Eighty Days_ to read.

"This is nice," Tony said conversationally from where he sat on the stoop beside him and Bruce couldn't agree more.

It felt companionable and, well, _right_. It was maybe a little scary how right it already felt. He wondered if it felt right to Tony or if it would feel just as right when he went to meet Tony's kids… which he hoped was in the near future since the night had gone well in spite of his trepidation.

"You even have a dog," Tony then said after a moment with a smile. "I'm not surprised. You seem like a dog person."

"I am, yeah," Bruce replied. "But we couldn't really afford one until recently. Are you not a dog person?"

"I have six spoiled rotten kids," Tony answered that with a laugh. "It's not an issue of being a dog person. It's an issue of Clint found a stray dog and next thing you know we have a dog, two cats, an aquarium and a rat. And I guess a horse too," he tacked on in a thoughtful tone.

Bruce laughed and raised an eyebrow. "A rat?"

"Yeah, that's Harley's," Tony replied. There was silence for a few moments again. "So uh…" Tony started tentatively, turning his head.

Bruce turned his as well, curious about what Tony might say, but they both froze. Or at least, Bruce knew he did. Then before Bruce could find his voice to ask Tony what he wanted to say, they were lost in a kiss instead. It was the kind of kiss that Bruce had forgotten could exist and never had he imagined it could happen so early on. It was a kiss that was warm with that unique blend of familiarity and desire. It was the kind of kiss that felt right because you were so familiar with the person that you wanted and you had the reassurance that the person you were kissing was yours to kiss without reason. It was a different kind of spark and just as overwhelming to Bruce's senses because a small part of him worried that _he_ was the one jumping the gun and feeling things that Tony didn't. He didn't want to make Tony feel uncomfortable and he knew there were still so many hurdles in their potential relationship that thinking about this kind of intimacy was risky.

Still, Bruce sighed slightly as they pulled apart and at the sound of it Tony chased his lips for a few more quick kisses before settling back again.

"This still feels right… Right?" Tony asked after a moment, echoing his sentiment from the last date.

"Yeah, it does," Bruce murmured.

"Good. That's… that's great. Because, I'd like to really take a serious go at this," Tony continued hesitantly, like he was afraid of the consequences of admitting it, "but I know that still entails my side of the coin. The… The billionaire, mansion, fancy galas, rich politics, inevitable media involvement side of the coin," he said in a long breath before exhaling. "It's a lot and on the one hand, I kind of want to just preserve this, this easy thing we've had going so far, but on the other if you're interested in really turning this into a relationship like I am already, I'm wondering if maybe it's better to give you a taste of that so you can decide for yourself if you're really into that… or interested in me enough to put up with that." The entire time he was rambling nervously, he was gesticulating with his hands and at the last they fell against his lap with a soft slap.

Bruce pursed his lips as he considered Tony's point. His head – or maybe it was his heart – was screaming _yes, yes of course I want more of this_. But Tony made a good point. It was one of the hurdles in their relationship. It was one thing with Tony making the effort to come to him, to come into his small world. It might be another thing entirely for Bruce – awkward, frumpy, introverted, only mildly interesting Bruce as he would describe himself – to try and go into Tony's world. It wasn't even that he found the glamour unappealing. He was only human after all in spite of his philanthropic or liberal leanings. But the fact remained that slumming and hob-nobbing were two different things and the transition was often harder on the person who had to adapt up rather than down. He'd seen enough rich politics just at university functions or military functions where there was a divide between those who did the job and those who had the real power.

"I think you're right," Bruce finally said once his thoughts had run their course. "I… I still really want to see where this goes and, yeah, more seriously. I think maybe the sooner I meet your kids and see your world the better. Maybe full speed ahead makes sense in our case. I should probably know what I'm getting into, but you should also probably know what you're getting into," he tried to explain. "You're essentially slumming," he said with a small laugh. "And you might find out I can't really be the person you need me to be."

Bruce met Tony's gaze. It was dark and serious. "I very seriously doubt that," he said with conviction that made Bruce's hair stand slightly on end in the best kind of way. "But okay," his tone and features softened. "I was thinking, and you can say no if you want and we'll wait until the next thing, but next Friday is my birthday. I'm spending it with my kids of course. But Saturday SI is having the annual Tony Stark Birthday Charity Gala in honor of that. It's ridiculous, I know, but if it gets a bunch of stuffed shirts to donate to the charities I care most about just for the sake of propriety, I'm kind of okay with it." He shrugged and once again Bruce mused about the ways of the rich. "I was thinking you can either come Friday night to celebrate and meet my kids and then do the gala with me on Saturday. You could stay in a guest bedroom by the way," he clarified quickly. "Or you can come early Saturday and spend the afternoon with the kids and then we can go to the gala that night. It usually runs a little late so you might not want to go back until Sunday morning. I'll have my plane fly you there and back, not a problem."

Bruce gave a small sigh. "I'll have to think about it. I'll let you know Monday," he said noncommittally for the time being. "But I think the Saturday option would be best. I think you should spend your birthday with just your kids instead of making it an awkward meet the… well, whatever you want to call me at this point I guess," he finished uncertainly with a hitch of his shoulder.

"Potential boyfriend?" Tony suggested.

"You don't think boyfriend sounds… juvenile?" Bruce queried. Maybe it was because he heard Natasha say the word so often now and he had been a good few years younger himself since he'd last had one.

"Not really." Tony shrugged. "Fair warning, that's what some of the press will call you eventually… I hope," Tony added with a smile. "Aside from the crasser publications, once they realize it's serious you'll hear lots of terms like new flame, partner, so on and so forth. But if you were a woman, the media would in most instances go straight to girlfriend after enough public dates to affirm the seriousness of the relationship. And, honestly, I wouldn't hesitate to call you my girlfriend regardless of our age. You have to admit, nobody blinks twice at that word. But if you're uncomfortable with the word boyfriend we'll find something else. It's really not make or break," he hedged in a genuine tone.

"Huh. That's actually a reasonable argument. And very insightful regarding internalized language patterns." Bruce raised a playful eyebrow, even if he was impressed.

"You sound surprised," Tony said with a laugh. "I _was_ married to a very strong woman. And I have a teenage daughter and my COO is Pepper Potts if you haven't heard of her. Trust me, I've been brought up to speed between them and having an understanding of how the media works by."

Bruce nodded, momentarily considered Tony's offer to find a different word, and then gave him a thin smile. "I think boyfriend sounds nice," he said hopefully.

  


* * *

  


"Two things I should probably warn you about tonight," Tony said as he drove Bruce toward his home. "One, I can promise you that everything about it is going to be overwhelming. Flashing lights, obnoxious people, mindless mingling, questions about your relationship to me, and so on. So if you ever just need to take a breather, yank on my arm and we'll figure it out. It'll be a little harder for you than other guests since, well, you're my date and I'm the guest of honor. Shrinking into the background is a little more difficult, but I've navigated the scene long enough to know how to step away when I need to." He glanced over to see if Bruce was still with him or if he was contemplating throwing himself from the Audi convertible. "The other thing… I'm not exactly the same person when I'm at these things. I mean, when it's just you and me, I'll still be, uh, me. But if I come across a little more, well, tailored it's because I can't exactly help it."

"I think I get it," Bruce offered, maybe sensing his nervousness regarding the subject. "You're a media presence at these kinds of things. It's a bit of an act that you have to put on?"

Tony gave a big sigh and nodded. "Yeah, that. And I haven't really been to one of these things with, well, anyone besides my COO and her husband, who's head of security, since… Well, since Maya. None of my past dating attempts got that far. I mean I take my kids at Christmas, but that's different. So I might be a little rusty at the part with having someone actually there with me. Apologies in advance so, really, just tell me or give me a pinch or something if it's too much."

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Bruce said simply as they pulled up into the long driveway. "This… Wow. Actually, this might be more intimidating," Bruce said and Tony glanced over to see his eyes wide and taking in the property.

"Yeah, home sweet home," Tony replied with a soft laugh. "But I promise it's no different than yours. I mean, not really. Still filled with love and bickering kids. And you know, you'd think that with all the space they'd managed to find a way to just avoid one another if it was a problem."

Bruce laughed openly. "Yeah, well, where would the fun in that be?"

"True," Tony said in amusement. He put the car in park along the cul-de-sac in front of the main entrance for the time being. One of his drivers, because yes it paid to have personal chauffeurs, would handle it. "Well, here we are, Dr. Banner," Tony said then, with no small amount of trepidation, before getting out of the car.

Bruce grabbed his overnight bag and followed him into the house. Tony watched as his eyes widened yet again on the inside. "I think… I think it might take the whole day if you were planning on giving me a tour," Bruce said in humor and looked at Tony.

"It might," Tony indulged with a smile. "You can just set your bag on the floor for now if you'd like." He gestured to the foyer around them. Bruce shrugged and did so. "Hey, JARVIS, say hello to Dr. Banner."

_Hello, Dr. Banner._

"Dr. Banner, my AI, JARVIS."

"Um… wow." Bruce looked around. "Even if I knew about him that's a little unexpected. But still completely brilliant." He sounded awed and Tony smiled. "Hello to you too, JARVIS," he then said and Tony's smile widened.

_I hope you enjoy your visit. And may I say I do wish yourself and Mr. Stark the best of luck._

"He…" Bruce pointed. "Did you…?" Tony shook his head, smirking. "So you really have effectively created Skynet. That's… reassuring," he deadpanned. "But, really, that's amazing. He's amazing. Definitely your greatest achievement besides your kids," he said with a smile that maybe made Tony a little fluttery.

_Thank you, Dr. Banner._

"He takes a little getting used to, but I had a feeling you'd appreciate him," Tony said. "Hey, J, are the kids hiding? Assemble the team pronto."

Bruce chuckled and walked over to him. "Assemble the team?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. "That's pretty adorable."

" _You're_ adorable," Tony teased.

"Oh, I am?"

"Definitely." Tony nodded and pecked him on the lips.

"Well adorable knows adorable," Bruce replied with a hitch of his shoulder and then kissed him, lingering a little longer than a just a peck. "I got you a birthday present, by the way. It's in my bag."

"You really didn't have to," Tony countered.

"I know," Bruce said. "I wanted to. Besides, you've gotten me flowers and a book. I think there should be some reciprocation. And it's not anything spectacular," he warned as he walked over to his bag and opened it.

Tony watched curiously as Bruce pulled out whatever it was. "Wrapped and everything?" Tony quirked a brow as he allowed Bruce to hand him the package. He carefully pulled off the wrapping and found a small book titled _The Garden at Eichstatt_. It had a flower on the cover and the pages inside were filled with reproductions of the plates from _Hortus Eystettensis_. "You… I get it," he said with a soft laugh and looked up to see Bruce's expression was set between wry and tentative. "I got you flowers and a book so you got me a book on flowers. You really are a troll aren't you?"

"Hope you like it regardless," Bruce said, shrugging. "It's not the full edition. That's a little bit out of my price range for a single gift, sorry."

"Don't be," Tony urged. "This is great. It seems fitting."

"I hoped it would be a nice sentiment," Bruce said with a lopsided smile. "Not exactly practical, but... Then again neither are we."

Tony smiled. "That we are not," he said. "But I think I'm starting to like that about us," he admitted and kissed Bruce one more time before they were interrupted by a slew of kids at once. He had a strong feeling they had been hiding out somewhere they could spy on them before making their entrance.

Tony gave Bruce a playfully warning look before grabbing his hand and pulling him over towards the 'assembly' area, although very few of the kids were actually sitting. Most of them were standing around watching and waiting.

"Hey again, Dr. Banner," Sam said with a nod of his head toward the physicist.

"Hi, Sam," Bruce said in return. "Good to see you again. You too, Skye."

"Ditto, Dr. B," Skye said casually and came over with a curious glance at the book. "What's this?"

"Birthday present," Tony told her and handed her the book. "From Bruce so be careful with it," he warned, although he trusted her and was mostly joking. She hummed in a considering fashion and plopped down on the couch and started looking at it with Sam since they'd already met Bruce. The other kids, however, were still clearly on their toes for the formal introduction.

Tony took a deep breath.

"Alright, kids. Introduce yourselves to Dr. Banner. Not all at once though. If I tried to make them go in any particular order like your kids did, it probably wouldn't work," he then mumbled under his breath to Bruce, who just smiled knowingly.

Tony wasn't surprised when Clint came forward first as very little fazed him and he was quick to step up to the plate on things in order to assess them for himself.

"Hello, Dr. Banner. I'm Clint. I'm the oldest. Should probably tell you up front I can't really hear out of my left ear without a hearing aid," he introduced himself in a clipped tone. "My mom was a hell of a woman so, no offense, you'd better be amazing. But dad said you've read my mom's work so that's a point in your favor. Seven kids though," he whistled. "I'd say my dad knows what he's doing, but…"

Bruce laughed slightly and held out his hand. Clint shook it. "No, I understand. I'm pretty convinced your dad and I are certifiable at this point. And, hey, look. I'm not trying to replace your mom. I'd like to make that clear right now. One, I'm a man, so I'd appreciate it if nobody called me mom," he said jokingly. "And, two, I really wouldn't want to replace her anyway if I wasn't a man. But I hope we can be friends."

"Good answer," Clint said plainly and Tony bit down on a groan. "And you're funny. This could work. Still crazy, but we'll see."

"Okay, okay," Tony shooed him away.

"I like his honesty," Bruce commented.

Tony was equally unsurprised when Wanda stepped forward next, dragging Pietro with her. He gave a soft laugh.

"I’m Wanda and I think I'm psychic." That Tony _was_ surprised by.

"Um, okay, that's neat," Bruce stammered a little and Tony felt a little bad for him if not slightly amused at his being put on the spot. "So is it a latent power or did you develop it? Freak accident maybe?"

Wanda's mouth moved upward into a thin smile. "I knew somebody else existed for my dad. And I told him so right before he met you."

"Oh wow," Tony said, blinking. "She's actually right. I mean, well, something like that. Out of nowhere she started quizzing me on if I would find anyone special again. The timing _is_ a bit odd."

Bruce gave him a curious glance, but seemed to take it in stride. "Well, then," he said looking at Wanda, "can't argue with premonition. I won't take that kind of responsibility lightly," he assured her.

"I like you so far," Wanda then said before nudging her brother. "Pietro, your turn. This is my twin."

"I'm Pietro," the boy said dutifully and Tony shook his head in amusement at their unique twin bond. "I don't know what else to say." He then shrugged.

Bruce gave a wide smile and held out his hand for Pietro to shake. "That's fine, Pietro. I'm sure there's plenty we can talk about later when you feel like it," Bruce reassured him. "It's nice to meet both of you." Tony saw the relief on Pietro's face at not having to be put on the spot right before he and Wanda went over to the couch.

"You have glasses," Darcy said before anything else when she came over next.

Bruce nodded. "I do."

"And doesn't he look absolutely ravishing in them?" Tony said, partly to reassure his daughter and then partly because he had already developed a bit of a thing for Bruce in his glasses.

"Oh, dad, please don't," Skye chirped, clearly reading his double meaning. "I mean, don't do the whole weird boyfriend thing at least until the guy's been here enough times he might as well move in," she suggested.

"Move in?" Bruce asked under his breath with a small choke.

"I don't know where she got that idea," Tony quickly clarified. "I've never mentioned that. Ever. I mean…" He cleared his throat and willed his mind not to get carried away. "Uh, yeah, so, this is Darcy."

"Oh, right. I'm Darcy," she said then. "And I just got glasses and I hate them. I'd rather have contacts."

"I'm sure you look great in your glasses, Darcy," Bruce said gently. "But I get kids can be mean. My son Peter has glasses too. And just think, when you're old enough to have contacts then you'll have fashion options. Sometimes glasses make the outfit," he said with a wink and her eyes widened in obvious consideration. "And I'm sure your dad can afford multiple frames," Bruce gave him a sideways glance, "which gives you even more options. You should look up fashionistas or celebrities who wear glasses if you don't believe me."

"JARVIS, search fashionistas and celebrities who wear glasses and send the results to my tablet," Darcy said, sounding suddenly hopeful. "Thanks, Dr. Banner. I hope you're right."

"I hope so too," Tony said honestly, looking at Bruce in slight awe. "You're a genius. That's the first time she's even remotely responded positively to the idea of wearing glasses."

"Well, I might have a slight advantage over you," he replied, tapping against his own glasses.

"A very attractive advantage," Tony said.

"Heard that," Skye retorted.

"Don't care," Tony countered breezily.

"Guess that leaves me," Harley said, interrupting them.

"Jeez, kiddo. Show a little bit of enthusiasm," Tony said, with a playful swipe through his son's hair.

Harley plastered on an obnoxiously fake smile. "Guess that leaves me!"

"Oh, so you're the ornery one in the bunch?" Bruce asked dryly, guessing the right approach like the cleverly insightful parent he was – in Tony's opinion at least.

Harley's smile turned impish, but at least it was genuine now. "Yep. Got suspended and everything."

Tony groaned. "He seems to think he's my rebel black sheep now or something."

"Well, suspension does have a way of going to a person's head," Bruce deadpanned. "It could be touch and go from here on out," he warned melodramatically.

"You're not so bad I guess," Harley then said with a tilt of his head. "I don't get why my dad needs anyone, but I guess you're not so bad."

"Thank you for that vote of confidence," Bruce said with a small huff of laughter.

"Alright." Tony clapped his hands together. "Now that we've gotten introductions taken care of, what activity did everyone agree on while I was gone?" He had asked the children to pick an activity or two that they all could do together.

"Bowling," Skye answered as she closed the book Bruce had given Tony. "We settled on bowling."

The kids got up and headed for the recreational room.

Tony saw the look Bruce gave him, forehead pulled into a crease between his eyes. "You have a bowling alley… in the house?"

"We have everything in this house," Clint said as he passed directly between them.

"Well, not everything," Tony disagreed. "But we do have a recreational room that has a two lane bowling alley. Completely indulgent, I'll admit."

Bruce followed them to the recreational room and his disbelief only grew as he looked around in a daze. "This isn't a rec room, Tony. This is like…" His sentence trailed and he shook his head.

"Yeah, yeah." Tony nodded. It was true that it wasn't a small rec room. It spanned an entire wing of the house along the backside of the mansion and had a pool table, foosball, table tennis, arcade games, the bowling alley, an area for video gaming, the mini kitchen and even a half court for basketball. "I essentially wanted to create an indulgent man cave when redesigning the home and it turned into a kid's dream come true," he explained with a laugh.

"Again, can't argue with premonition," Bruce said in response, though he still sounded like he couldn't believe it. "Wait… What's that room over there?" Bruce pointed and Tony followed with a smile as he headed toward another large room off the recreational area.

The room was slightly raised, requiring two steps at the doorway and once there Bruce appeared to be suddenly broken. It was a large theater room, complete with a large projection screen – Tony had actually upgraded it to HD so it wasn't the original screen – a popcorn maker, theater style chairs along the back on a slightly elevated platform as well as a long couch below and plenty of space on the floor for lounging in front. The walls were decorated with theater sconces and movie posters.

"Uh, too much?" Tony asked with a laugh. "Am I scaring you off?"

"I honestly don't know," Bruce answered. "It's a lot to take in. I knew your home would be bit but… This is more than I fathomed and this isn't even the half of it, is it?" Bruce turned to look at him with a raised brow.

"It's the most used part of the house," Tony began pointedly. "But recreationally speaking we also have a home gym, mostly because I love to box, um, an indoor pool, a library, a more normal living area since watching regular television on this thing is a little excessive even for me," he nodded toward the large screen, "and there might be a workshop in the basement with easy access to the garage since I like to keep all my toys in the same general area. Oh and also a home lab." He got a small thrill when Bruce's eyebrows shot up at that last prospect.

"So essentially you dragged me to Candy-land," Bruce said looking around again.

"You think this is something, wait until you see what you'll be working with in the R&D floors at Stark Tower," Tony said with a smile as they left the theater room and finally made their way over to join his kids at the two bowling lanes.

"Well, if it's more spectacular than this, I might just actually have an or… uh…" Bruce seemed to check himself and flushed slightly, ducking his head. "Nevermind."

"Never be ashamed to admit defeat to the seductive power of science, Bruce," Tony guessed what he was going to say and laughed slightly. "It happens to the best of us."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Sorry (not sorry?) about the impromptu psa about internalized language patterns. The 'boyfriend is juvenile' thing is a little bit of a pet peeve of mine since women don't get that same treatment in fanfiction typically. (e.g. I've never personally read a story where Pepper is like 'excuse me girlfriend is juvenile' or whatever). That said, although it's a conviction of mine I can understand fully where it could be a legitimate squick for others to use either term. But boyfriend will be the term used in this fic.  
> 2\. The story of Harry Bensley is the reason why I selected _Around the World in 80 Days_ \- a book that I personally love. I mean, a rich playboy challenged to walk around in an iron mask who also ended up being a bomb checker... I had to do it.  
>  3\. I realize that Tony gets a little more interaction with his first meeting with Bruce's kids than Bruce does with Tony's, but it's hard to strike the balance. And Bruce had already met Skye. Also, later on it evens out with Bruce getting more interaction with the kids than Tony in some chapters. It was mostly dependent on moving the story forward without having 10,000 word chapters *fails*


	9. Rule of Thirds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> potential warning for ignorance regarding bisexual/homosexual relationships and offensive assumptions based on such

"Wow, Dr. Banner," Skye said with a wide smile when Bruce came out into the great room at the front of the house. He was a little startled as he'd been lost in thoughts about how weird it was to be dressed to the nines in a suit and tie that Tony had arranged for him for the evening, as well as still a little lost in the magnitude of the Stark mansion. "You look amazing," she said approvingly as he walked over to where she and Wanda were sat. "Dad isn't going to be able to take his eyes off of you," she then said with a small smirk.

"Uh…" He cleared his throat and tried to show his appreciation for her compliments. "Thank you, Skye. I feel a little overdressed to be honest."

"You won't when you get there," Wanda replied. "Dad takes us to the Christmas one and it's always very fancy. Dinner, nice clothes, music, dancing, that sort of thing."

"It sounds nice in theory," Bruce said as he considered it. It sounded elegant and… nowhere that he belonged. He sighed. "If I wasn't typically awkward in these kinds of situations."

"Hey, don't sweat it, Dr. B," Skye urged. "Dad won't let you flounder, promise. He can be out of touch sometimes, but he gets this part. And once he starts mingling and working a crowd, you'll just get drawn in with him. At least…" She paused. "At least that's what mom used to say. And besides you'll have Pepper there to help if it gets to be too much. She's great."

"Is it weird?" Wanda asked suddenly before Bruce could reply to anything Skye had said.

"All of this?" He asked, taking a guess at her specific question.

"I guess so," Wanda answered. "Or… Is it weird hearing us talk about our mom or knowing dad had somebody else for so long?"

Bruce smiled sadly in understanding and he moved closer. "Eight years isn't nearly long enough when you love somebody like your dad loved your mom." He shook his head. He had heard Tony talk enough about Maya by this point to realize how much he had loved her. "It's… I'm a little sad for him and for you that you had to lose her. So in that sense it's a little weird. Wanting to be with your dad, but at the same time knowing what you had to lose in order for that to be possible for me. It's weird in the way that it makes me feel a little selfish if I'm happy to be with him. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah," Skye said and Wanda nodded. "But you're not like jealous or afraid he's only into you because maybe you remind him of her or anything like that?"

Bruce didn't answer right away. Instead he checked his own feelings just to be sure where he stood. He wanted to be honest with Tony's kids. It was the only way it could ever possibly work long term, if that came to pass, since they'd had another parent in their life.

"No, I don't think I'm jealous. I wouldn't want any of you to resent me or think I'm jealous of your mom. Maybe there are thoughts every now and then that I wish I'd known your dad sooner or been able to share a life with him from the get go, but then none of you would be here and it's very likely none of my kids would be here. And that's not a life I want to imagine. That doesn't seem right." He paused briefly, pursing his lips slightly. "As for if I'm like your mom, well, people have types. I'm okay with that. And I trust your dad to realize even if there are similarities that he's drawn to inherently, I'm a unique person and there will be very decided differences. It's just a matter of if he still likes me after he discovers some of those differences."

To his surprise, Wanda stood then and came over to him. "Can I give you a hug?" She asked, surprising him further.

He recovered with a genuine smile. "Of course."

She wrapped her thin arms around him and he gently returned the embrace. "I hope it works out with you and my dad. Even if does mean seven other kids hanging around," Wanda offered.

"Thank you, Wanda," Bruce said genuinely. "That really does mean a lot."

"I agree, by the way," Skye chimed in as he and Wanda broke the hug. "I think you're good for my dad. I hope he's good for you too."

"I assure you I don't usually take this long to get ready," Tony quipped from behind him.

Bruce turned with a smile and a quip of his own on the tip of his tongue only for his voice to catch in his throat. Tony looked every inch the billionaire praised for his good looks and media charm in his own suit and tie. Bruce stood frozen like he was in a cliché romantic film. His eyes were locked on Tony and he couldn't look away. He felt like he had made it back to the palace and found prince charming again. Or maybe he had found Mr. Right. His metaphors were jumbling together like the feelings in his stomach. Yet for all his own sudden feelings and attraction, Tony was looking at Bruce like _he_ was the most handsome man in the room.

"You look…" Tony started, looking stunned.

"Yeah, you do," Bruce finished, feeling a little breathless.

"I want pictures," Skye said enthusiastically, breaking them both from their trance. Bruce couldn't begrudge her for it because it was probably for the best.

Tony crossed the space and came to stand beside him so Skye could take the pictures she wanted with her phone.

"If you look this good in a suit, I can only imagine what you look like in a tux," Tony said to him in a low voice. It was perhaps the strangest and yet most endearing and genuine sounding compliments Bruce had ever received.

After the pictures and Tony giving a last minute speech to the kids about behaving while he was gone, Sam and Clint being in charge, and making sure not to stay up too late because JARVIS was watching and he'd check in, they left in a sleek closed-top sports car that Bruce really couldn't identify but he was at least glad that it wasn't a limousine and that Tony had opted for no driver. It made him more relaxed as they made the drive to Stark Tower, where the event was being held in their grand event room instead of renting out a space elsewhere Tony explained on the way.

He was immediately grateful he'd had the drive there to breathe freely and just focus on Tony's presence, and he had a feeling that's why Tony didn't really prompt him for conversation on the way, when Tony pulled up in the line of cars in front of the tower – which was absolutely intimidating up close – and he saw the crowds and flashing cameras just outside.

"Brace yourself, Doctor," Tony said. He then leaned over and gave him a reassuring kiss right before he pulled the car up to the valet spot. Tony put it in park and quickly exited the car.

Bruce reminded himself not to open the door since this was his first time as Tony's date and it was more acceptable for Tony to do so. He suddenly understood the convenience of riding in the backseat of a chauffeured vehicle to this kind of event. Then it wouldn't be an issue of etiquette.

The door opened and the flashes of cameras that had been dimmed by the tinted windows were suddenly blinding and as he took Tony's arm he immediately heard the various, broken shouts all around of Tony's fans and of reporters. He wondered how Tony could understand them let alone answer.

"Mr. Stark, this is your first guest to one of these events since your wife's passing. Is that significant?"

Bruce managed to catch that one all the way and so did Tony as he fired off, "Seems that way."

Then, "Mr. Stark, who is your guest?"

"My date," he knew Tony was clarifying the nature of their relationship right off the bat, "is the brilliant Dr. Banner."

Tony stopped them then gently and turned them for pictures. Tony flashed a brilliant, media smile and Bruce tried his best to at least look like he wasn't a middle class man crashing a white collar party. More questions and statements were shouted in their direction, but Tony ignored them before steering them into the building. Inside, Tony steered them away from the line to the elevator, past a rope and toward another elevator that Bruce guessed was his private one that accessed every floor.

"Doing good so far?" Tony asked when they were alone in the elevator.

"That would take some getting used to," Bruce answered honestly.

"Yeah, but eventually you just ignore ninety percent of it and if you catch a question worth answering, you answer it. And you figure out the right timing for stopping for the press photos and then moving along. It's kind of like a really annoying equation where you just have to balance the variables," he explained and Bruce nodded, not sure but trusting his expertise. "Also, how are your eyes?" Tony looked at him in concern.

Bruce squeezed them shut and then blinked a few times. "Getting there," he said with a small chuckle.

"Yeah, usually I do the whole asshole with shades at night thing, but I figured with this being our first time out together at one of these things, I'd forego that. Maya used to complain women don't have the luxury of wearing sunglasses and Pepper calls me weak," he continued to gabble on the ride up. "Speaking of Pepper, I'll make sure to introduce you to her and Happy first before we do any other mingling. That way you know who your other allies are."

No sooner had he finished that statement, the door opened and they moved down the hall to the entrance of the gala. Bruce took a deep breath as he linked an arm with Tony's again. Bruce wasn't sure what he was expecting on the other side, but none of it fit his imagination. It was like the conference dinners and the few university galas and alumni events he'd been to only on a much more extravagant scale. It was like swimming in a sea of modern aristocracy. The liberal in him was screaming a little like a monster inside a cage, but he understood Tony's political leanings and tried to remember that he was trying to change things from the inside out with the lifestyle he was born into as best as he knew how. That he was trying was enough in Bruce's opinion.

"Hello, Tony!" Bruce's thoughts were chased away by a vibrant female voice and he looked to see an equally vibrant looking strawberry blonde in an elegant dress coming toward them. She immediately kissed Tony on the cheek when she arrived. "About time you showed up to your own party," she admonished and then turned toward him. "You must be Dr. Banner. Pepper Potts. I'm happy to finally meet you," she said and without batting an eye leaned in and kissed him on the cheek as well. "I'm looking forward to getting to know you," she said with a warm smile. "It's about time Tony found somebody and if the way he's been acting lately is any indication, you must be somebody pretty special. I hear you have seven kids," she said in a joking tone.

"Yeah, I'm sure that's not a detail you would forget," Bruce answered with a small laugh, feeling a little easier at having another ally as Tony had called her. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Ms. Potts."

"None of that," she admonished. "It's Pepper. And no, a man who's adopted five kids and lived to tell the tale is not a detail I could forget." She said it with a sparkle in her eyes that made Bruce wonder. "This is my husband," she gestured to a larger-set man just behind her, "Happy Hogan."

" _Happ_ y to meet you, Dr. Banner," the man said with a slightly impish smile as he extended his hand.

"Clever," Bruce retorted and the man seemed impressed and amused that he caught on to his word play, but Bruce kept his thoughts to himself. The guy seemed harmless and nice enough so that was what mattered. "And for the record, I'm not Dr. Banner. I'm Bruce."

"That's the spirit," Tony said encouragingly. "You guys are going to love him, trust me. And I'm counting on the both of you to stay on guard in case things get a little dicey. You just know every pap and stool-pigeon and busybody in the place is going to eye him like he's the catch of the day."

"Oh god," Bruce said dryly. "That's a horrible thought."

Tony snorted and then scoffed all in one quick, slurred together noise. "I know. You're more like the catch of the century."

"Aww," Pepper said with a wide smile. She then jerked her head backwards a little as she said, "Okay, lovebirds. Time to make the rounds. Good luck, Bruce."

Bruce followed Tony around the room, letting him start every conversation with his thanks for the charitable donations and then only answering as conversationally as possible when asked inevitable questions like – "Where did you meet?" "What's it like dating Tony Stark?" "Oh, you're a scientist? What is your field?" and more of the same ilk. It certainly felt intrusive and if he hadn't already been fairly certain that some were suspicious of his intentions dating Tony then overhearing a slightly older man, a trustee apparently, try to warn Tony away from him would have solidified that understanding.

While Bruce stood a mere few feet away answering a question Pepper had asked him the trustee insisted that Bruce was clearly only using Tony for his own scientific gain. It was exactly the risk Bruce knew coming into it, that he would be considered more or less a gold-digging – or research funds digging – nobody who didn't belong with a man like Tony Stark. Hearing it out loud, however, was the kind of thing that made his more dangerous temper flare because it wasn't any of their business and they didn't know how he felt or what he wanted.

However, it also proved that Tony wasn't lying when he had said he had a temper too because Bruce saw the way his smile turned sharp as daggers. Tony excused himself quickly and then came back over to Bruce.

"Okay, I'm done mingling," the billionaire said through gritted teeth. "Fuck them. Clearly I didn't think through the amount of stupidity that this could cause. Pep, we're going to have to make sure our lawyers keep a special eye out for any libel regarding Bruce's intentions with me as it pertains to his career, especially once it comes out that he's a new employee of Stark Industries."

"Absolutely," Pepper said and gave them both a sympathetic look. "I'll have them start ushering everybody to the dinner now," she then said and left to do so.

Tony's anger then was smothered with a sigh. "I'm sorry, Bruce. This is exactly what I was trying to warn you about. This side of the coin… It's not pretty. I don't want this to hurt your career or your reputation. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable or like others are talking behind your back at the water cooler. I would hope my other employees would know you're there because you deserve it, but I can't guarantee it."

Bruce saw the genuineness in his expression and heard it in his tone. He considered all of the implications for a moment and then took the initiative of linking one hand with Tony's and squeezing it gently.

"It's like you said, fuck them," he said, keeping his already low voice even lower for hopefully just Tony to hear. Tony met his gaze hopefully. "It's not ideal. But as long as I know you're not giving me special treatment I didn't earn or putting me in a position that I don't qualify for, then I'll be fine. I intend to prove I belong there as much as anyone else so hopefully after a while my work will speak for itself."

"It will," Tony said with a tone that seemed to prove he believed it. Bruce had been skeptical at first that Tony, of all people, truly had full faith in his genius, but Tony was steadily chipping away at that skepticism.

The dinner was a relatively simple affair by contrast to the entrance and mingling. Tony's table was exclusive to only those people he trusted, like Pepper and Happy and Mr. and Mrs. Cho who Bruce was vaguely familiar with, as well as the biggest donator at the gala – like some 'look at me I donated the most money and sitting at Stark's table proves it' badge that Bruce didn't quite understand; thus, the conversation was mostly easy and there was only minimal prodding for information on him and Tony's unexpected romance that Tony diverted toward matters of industry and technology and the efforts of his favorite charities represented at the gala whenever it became unnecessarily intrusive.

Tony ended all discussion of their relationship entirely when the elderly wife of the couple that donated the most seemed very shocked that Tony was with a man. She hadn't known he was bisexual. She seemed keen to know if Bruce was interested in both men and women as well and his negative response led to her gaping at them. She ignorantly questioned them on how they could possibly ever be compatible if Tony might one day up and decide he'd rather be with a woman again. 

The way Tony ended said discussion was by, perhaps a little smugly as if to prove a point, standing up and asking Bruce to join him for a dance now that the floor had opened up. Bruce wasn't going to complain about Tony's smugness given the situation and he had to admit that dancing seemed like the lesser of two evils in that moment. So he gave into the request with an easy smile.

"I have to warn you," he said as they moved to the dance floor, "you might wish you'd stayed at the table. I haven't really danced in… Actually, I don't really remember. Maybe at my friend Betty's wedding."

"Bruce, I'd rather endure you stepping on me feet than choking on the absolute ignorance at the table," Tony said breezily as he pulled him close. "You can lead next time," he then said playfully as he positioned their hands appropriately. "Not that I'd call what this is going to be leading. More like just swaying to music. I just meant who puts their hands where this time."

"Does it really matter?" Bruce asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"I've never thought so," Tony answered with a shrug. "It's just… Again, this is undoubtedly the most serious I've ever gotten with a man and it's after years of being with a woman. So I really don't want to just assert the conventions I had with Maya, you know? It's important to know what you prefer too. And maybe that conversation has me a little unnerved," he added with a spiteful glance back at the table. "I don't want you to think—"

"You're fine," Bruce assured him. "I'm versatile," he then added with a small quirk of his lips that Tony understood and then matched. "But really, don't worry so much. I wouldn't be dancing with you still or agreeing to any of this at all really," he gestured around with a slight movement of his head, "if something trivial like this was a deal breaker."

For not the first time Bruce wondered at being the one to reassure someone like Tony Stark, but as Bruce studied his expression he not only realized that Tony was genuinely relieved but he began to realize the infamously egotistic and confident Tony Stark was not beyond having insecurities of his own. In a way that was reassuring to someone like Bruce. It reminded him that Tony was human and maybe they weren't so star-crossed or mismatched or anything else that people at the party were probably whispering about them. It reminded him that they weren't so different underneath it all whether they were walking along a canal or in a room full of socialites.

After that, Tony pulled him in a little closer and they swayed in silence for a while. As they swayed Bruce was a little surprised at how easy it all seemed in this position he'd never expected to be in as someone of his caliber and personality-type, dancing with a man like Tony Stark in a room full of people who if he were to look might be staring at them. But he couldn't look. There was only the two of them. He could close his eyes and he would still only see Tony. And the way Tony looked at him so intently, he felt like he was the only one Tony could see.

"Is this really happening?" Bruce asked in a whisper as he leaned forward so they were practically dancing the proverbial cheek-to-cheek.

"Yes. Are you still okay with this happening," Tony asked in return, voice smooth like silk in Bruce's ear, "now that you've seen the price tag?"

Bruce hummed thoughtfully, though at the moment it wasn't much of a thought he had to consider and it was really more of a sigh than a hum.

"Yes," he answered.

"Come with me?" Tony murmured and Bruce couldn't say no.

 

* * *

 

After he fulfilled his obligation of letting Pepper know he was ducking out so she could wrap up the gala and asking Happy to see to a few things, like seeing to it his car got moved to his parking spot in the tower's garage, Tony eagerly led Bruce back to his private elevator.

"You have a twinkle in your eyes," Bruce said with a small sound of amusement as they rode the elevator up to the top ten floors of the tower. "It's very endearing, but also a little frightening," he added.

Tony smiled broadly. "I guess I should have told you," Tony bantered back. "I'm a vampire. You're my next victim."

"Ah, of course. My foray into what feels like a romance novel would end up being _Twilight_ ," Bruce replied snappily. "Just my luck."

"You might change your mind," Tony said vaguely right before the elevator door pinged open with access straight into the first floor of R&D, no security clearance necessary like the main entrance.

He watched as Bruce practically stumbled out of the elevator in a daze. The physicist looked like a man in the state of euphoria. Bruce's eyes were darting here and there and as he moved to the center of the first pristine lab, he spun slowly as if trying to take it in all at once.

"This… This is the most state of the art lab I've ever seen," Bruce said, voice dripping with awe that made Tony giddy to be the one to bring him into this scientific playground first. "I knew it had to be good, but I've never… I've only dreamed of working in a lab like this."

"It's the kind of lab you should have always been working in," Tony said to that.

He somewhat mourned all of the years Bruce's genius had been hidden away or misused by the government. Tony had finally learned of the gamma bomb the military had Bruce working on at one point and that Bruce had nearly tested even after the program was decommissioned because of harassment from General Ross to prove himself; they learned after the bomb would have likely been fatal and General Ross had tried to throw him under the bus. Already broken over what he'd almost done, Bruce had gotten so angry with the general that he had punched him and then told the military tribunal everything with Betty vouching about the harassment he'd been subjected to by her father.

"Well, I'm just grateful for the chance now," Bruce said humbly. "I mean, I can't even begin to imagine all of the uses for some of this equipment. I'm trying, but there's just so much."

Tony chuckled softly. "Try not to break. Stark Industries needs you." _I do too_ , he decided not to add. "Because this is just the first floor of ten, my good doctor."

Bruce turned to look at him in almost disbelief. Tony smiled and pointed upward. Bruce furrowed his brow then, but tentatively moved his head back to look at the ceiling and even from that angle Tony saw the moment his eyes widened and his mouth fell open at the nine other state of the art labs that could be seen through the semi-clear reinforced Plexiglas floors. Bruce's head dropped back down in the same state to look at Tony again. Tony smiled broadly because it did look rather orgasmic and seeing Bruce this excited over science and the wonderland he had created in the name of science was exciting him too in different or maybe not so different ways; he wasn't sure.

Bruce finally closed his mouth and looked around again a few times. He licked his lips slowly and then looked at Tony with slightly narrowed eyes. "You're trying to seduce me, aren't you?" He asked archly.

Tony wasn't one to quibble about his intentions – that certainly hadn't changed since his wild youth – and he couldn't deny that after dancing with Bruce, in addition to their easy and natural relationship and chemistry so far, and now this moment on top of it, he was hoping Bruce was in the same spot he was in wanting to explore what they had further. He'd maybe even had certain things stocked in the suite and his own room back home just in case this came up, being the futurist and all.

"I might be," he admitted. "Is that a problem? Because if it is, I'll back off," he assured him although he also took several steps towards him just in case.

Bruce didn't answer. Instead he closed the small gap left between them and kissed him softly, just enough as if testing to be sure of his answer. "I don't think it's a problem," he said after pulling away and he didn't get too far before Tony kissed him again.

Before long their kisses moved from slow and exploratory to a little more urgent. They weren't sloppy or desperate kisses, yet, but there was enough warning of where this was likely to go and that it probably shouldn't be in the middle of the lab.

"This lab is monitored by security," Tony warned and Bruce, unsurprisingly, pulled back. "I have a penthouse suite upstairs. If you're interested," he said, accentuating it with another long kiss and walking backwards to the elevator.

"I’m interested," Bruce managed to murmur at a slight break in contact as he moved in tandem with him back towards the elevator.

They came up for air when they reached the elevator, Tony pressing the button. It opened instantly and he practically pulled Bruce in and quickly hit the button for his penthouse.

"Good," Tony said, capturing Bruce's lips again as soon as the doors were closed. One hand moved up over Bruce's chest and slowly began to tug at his tie. "Because as irresistible as you look in this suit, I'd really like to see you out of it."

 

* * *

 

Bruce groaned slightly as he awoke. Two rounds of sex after the drought he'd had wasn't easy on his body, but it had been wonderful and certainly worth the dull ache in his muscles and lower back. He was still a little in blissful awe at how near-perfect his and Tony's bodies fit together. Then again, maybe it shouldn't have surprised him at this point. Sometimes everything about them together seemed like two puzzle pieces fitting together seamlessly. 

Also wonderful was the sensation of waking up with skin wrapped up in skin, of body heat and closeness. Bruce relished in just laying tangled with Tony in a lazy waking state until the engineering genius finally started to stir as well.

"Hey," Tony said in a rough whisper, smiling, after blinking his dark eyes open and registering him.

"Hey," Bruce said back and his voice was even rougher.

Tony moved one of his hands to brush aside a strand of hair in disarray on Bruce's forehead. Bruce had figured out pretty quickly over the course of the night that Tony might have a thing for his hair, or maybe hair in general. He hadn't expected that, but he wasn't going to complain about it either.

"Was it good?" Tony asked after a moment. "No regrets?"

Bruce smiled thinly. "Very good," he answered and then minutely shook his head. "No regrets. Maybe too good," he then said with another soft groan as he stretched a little in Tony's arms.

Tony chuckled hoarsely. "Yeah. The shower here is high end. Not nearly as decadent as the one back at home, but should still get the aches out."

"That sounds nice," Bruce drawled lazily.

"Do you go in for showering with someone?" Tony then asked. "If not, you can go first or second. Your choice."

"Showering together would conserve water," Bruce said as innocently as he could manage, but he was sure they both knew that showering together the morning after was inevitable.

"Well, when you put it that way." Tony nodded once, looking as if he was trying to keep himself from laughing. They were quiet again for a few moments, both just waking up a little more. Finally Tony broke it with, "So I was thinking, shower, then you and I can get breakfast before I take you to the airport."

Bruce frowned as he considered it. "My bag is still at your place. It has my clothes. I don't think the suit is any state to go out to breakfast in. In fact, I think you might have ripped a few buttons," he said in amusement.

"The buttons were offensive to me. They deserved their fate," Tony joked. "The closet has some clothes for when I crash here. It's not often and it's been a while so they might be a little moth-y, but I'm sure there's something in there that'll fit you. And I can have one of the drivers bring your bag to the airport. Not a big deal."

"A driver delivering a bag to an airport," Bruce said, considering how ludicrous it sounded to his unaccustomed senses. "That's a new one for me. But shower and breakfast sounds good, so I won't argue," he then added sensibly.

"Don't worry," Tony said, leaning in and giving him a small and lazy kiss. "I overpay all of my employees for putting up with weird stuff like this. They've never complained and most have been on staff for years so I guess it evens out."

Bruce nodded, glad to hear that Tony was at least a generous employer, and then stretched again. He regretfully untangled himself from Tony and sat up. He would need to get home soon since the next day was a school day and he didn't want to leave his kids alone unsupervised too long. Jemma and Peter had gone to stay the night with Leonard and Betty, but he had trusted his older children to manage without him for a day.

Tony sat up as well, swinging his legs over to the side of the bed. He groaned and massaged his lower back just enough to assure Bruce he wasn't the only one a little achy from the night before.

"Your kids are going to know," Bruce said with a small chuckle as he considered the fact that they hadn't gone back to Tony's home. 

Tony smirked at him over his shoulder. "That I spent the night with my boyfriend? Uh-huh, well, I think their 'innocent' minds will survive," he said with his own chuckle.

"Boyfriend," Bruce echoed as he followed Tony into the en suite. "Yeah, that does sound nice."

"Whatever you do, don't check any of the articles my PR department will inevitably send you for at least a few days," Tony warned him. "No need to kill the mood with ignorance. And after a few days it's easier to be amused by the amount of desperation of some of these rags. But you will have to look at some of them I'm afraid. Because PR will want to know if there's anything there you're uncomfortable with so they can pass it on to our legal team. That sort of thing." Bruce could only nod and make a mental note of it.

Once they were settled in together under the spraying jets of the shower several moments later, Bruce had to admit there was something said for having money and not being afraid to use it indulgently. "This is nice," he said as the steam and pressure from the shower began to work out his tight muscles.

"The one at home is newer so it has more options. One of which is a waterfall setting," Tony said with enough of a leer that Bruce shivered slightly at the, admittedly intriguing, notion. "So what do you think the next step is?" Tony then asked more seriously as they began to get clean. "For us, I mean."

Bruce didn't answer right away. He had a thought in mind, but he wasn't sure if it was too soon or if, like his being introduced into Tony's more elaborate world, it was better to do so early on.

"I think the kids should meet," he finally replied. "It’s the real wildcard here, but maybe it's better to get it over with so we can address any problems head on. They might even resent us a little if we keep them in the dark about the other side of the equation, you know?"

Tony hummed in agreement, nodding. "Yeah, makes sense. I guess the question is when. I think where probably makes sense at my place since it's bigger and—"

"What better way to placate my kids than by dangling a shiny carrot in front of them?" Bruce interjected with a playfully raised brow.

"No, not exactly," Tony replied. "And if you really think that it would amount to that, even if we don't mean it to, then that's a no go. We'll need to find a happy medium. I don't want your kids thinking that I'm trying to bribe them or get the impression that my kids are spoiled brats who think they're better than them just because they've lived an admittedly privileged life."

Bruce stopped what he was doing to look into Tony's eyes. He saw the very raw conviction there, the kind borne from genuine concern.

"I'll talk to them," Bruce finally settled. "I'll just be honest about the situation and see if they have any reservations. This might be a bigger adjustment for them than me, on top of the sort of trepidation some of them already have about moving in a few months and having to settle in to a new place. It's a lot and I'll need to see how they feel. If they aren't ready, then happy medium sounds like a good back up option. But it is essential they meet, I think."

Bruce paused. "I also think… I know it's short notice, but… Next weekend? I only say that because my interim courses start on the 8th and between that and the last few weeks of school for the kids, I'm going to be pretty busy. Also Jane's birthday is the 9th and she's turning 13 so I promised her the following weekend that we can visit the McCormick Observatory. I had to put in a few calls to past colleagues at UVA several months ago to accommodate us as an education group along with some of her classmates that are going. Definitely can't back out of that."

"No, no, doesn't sound like it," Tony said, smiling at him. "See, you manage to be an incredible father even without billions of dollars. That's talent," Tony complimented him. Although Bruce thought it sounded a little silly, as there were a lot of incredible fathers who weren't rich, he knew it was a genuine compliment from Tony's limited personal point of view. "It's also very attractive," he added.

"Trust me, seeing you with your kids is just as attractive to me," Bruce promised. "So, next weekend?"

"Sounds like a plan," Tony said with a nod. "Because incidentally the 13th is Darcy's birthday so that would have been a no go anyhow. And, like you said, the kids will be busy with end of school. In general, sounds like we'll be a little pressed for dating time in the near future."

Bruce sighed and leaned into Tony as they rinsed off together. "You know, it's going be harder now."

"Now? Now _what exactly_?" Tony pressed, voice pitched lower in a way that told Bruce he knew exactly what was meant by that. As if to prove his train of thought further, Tony began sucking gently at his shoulder and along toward the juncture of his neck.

"Now that I know how good you are," Bruce indulged him.

"You're good too," Tony murmured against his skin, causing Bruce's body to respond, as he moved gradually lower.

Bruce decided to take a leaf out of Tony's book and he buried his fingers in Tony's hair. _So much for conserving water_ was his last fully coherent thought for a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Inspiration for the R&D design from one of my favorite interpretations of it found in [so here’s to drinks in the dark at the end of my rope](http://archiveofourown.org/works/405235) by [sleeponrooftops](http://archiveofourown.org/users/sleeponrooftops/pseuds/sleeponrooftops)  
> 2\. Inspiration for Bruce's "you're trying to seduce me" line from fanart [With...SCIENCE](http://xanykaos.deviantart.com/art/With-SCIENCE-301577867) by [xanykaos](http://xanykaos.deviantart.com) on Deviantart.  
> 3\. In case it got lost in translation, the recurring discussion of the three date rule that drove Bruce a little nuts was always going to lead to the punch line that, in terms of 'official' dates, they end up having sex on the third date. (For the record though I still personally stand by the discussion in chapter 8 regarding it being different for different people. Their falling 'victim' to the 'magical timeline' was mostly for humor.)


	10. Getting To Know You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the point of the story where it begins to turn into more of a whole-family fic. Emphasis moves away from solely Bruce/Tony into the kids acclimating to the new situation. They start to get a stronger voice by way of pov sections (and eventually dedicated chapters). And there's more of an emphasis on child-parent relationships after this point since, after all, this is a dads fic. That said I tried to make sure that Bruce/Tony isn't lost entirely and they still get pov sections squeezed in there. 
> 
> This chapter is also the starting point for Sam/Steve.
> 
> TW: Natasha talks about her traumatic past

"Okay, here's the deal," Tony said to his kids over breakfast the morning of Bruce's impending visit with his kids. "I know this is going to be weird. Like a huge slumber party with kids you've never met. Like, I don't know, summer camp, but I expect you not to make it weirder." Tony shoveled a fork full of pancakes into his mouth and let his initial point sink in. "One," he said upon swallowing, "you're going to treat them like equals. You're not going to do the jerkass rich kid bragging thing. You're all better than that and it's never been a problem to my knowledge before so don't make it one now. They don't have a fraction of what you do and haven't had the same experiences. Doesn't make them lesser people. If anything they know how to get by and be happy without all of that stuff. So if they're a little awkward, self-conscious or even absolutely blown away with excitement about what we've got here, go easy on them. Just be friendly. With me so far?"

"Yes," they all answered in unison, which Tony found mildly disturbing.

"Okay, good," he said, ignoring their lack of enthusiasm so far. "Two, if you have a problem with any of the kids," he pointed at them with his fork, "you come to me or Bruce about it. He's giving his kids the same speech so if they have a problem with any of you, I expect to hear about it. Now look," he then said, softening his voice and they all turned to look at him. "We don't expect everyone to get along right away or for this to be a field of daisies." Skye raised an eyebrow at his choice of flower. "Some of you don't even get along with each other all the time. Same goes for his kids. We expect there might be clashing personalities and uncertainty all around. But we also expect you to act appropriately according to your maturity level." Tony then fixed his gaze on his youngest. "And, no, Harley, pulling the 'but I'm only 9 and I'm the baby' routine will not act as a get out of jail free card. Sorry, bud."

"So basically what he's telling all you snotty-nosed punks is to treat it like school and be civil," Sam supplied helpfully, with a good deal of sarcasm that Tony snorted at.

"It's going to take half the day just to do introductions though," Clint quipped before taking a big swig of orange juice.

Tony smiled widely at the opening. "Oh no, dad's scheming again," Pietro said dramatically.

"We're going to be playing a few icebreaker games," he said, still smiling a little madly at the idea that he was very glad to have come up with and that Bruce had been fully on board with. They'd spent the entire week texting and emailing ideas back and forth. "Should be interesting."

"Yep," Skye intoned and all at once his kids looked down skeptically at their plates. Again, it was mildly disturbing.

 

* * *

 

Steve was trying his best to be a good son. His dad was happier than he'd ever seen him. When he had come home from his visit with the Starks the previous Sunday, it had been obvious that whatever was developing between his dad and Tony Stark it wasn't going away anytime soon. Steve had never seen that kind of happy shine in his father's eyes. He couldn't remember his being this happy with any of his past boyfriends.

So Steve knew he would have to adjust. They all would. He just wished all of this change didn't have to come at once. Moving to a new house, moving to a new school and leaving his friends and the girl he liked but never could find the courage even to ask to a single dance – which now maybe was for the best he tried to tell himself – and assimilating with six or seven other kids because their fathers were dating on top of his uncertainty regarding upcoming graduation and what to do with his future… It was just a lot to adjust to. Still, he was willing to try no matter how much he really didn't want to.

Tony Stark seemed okay enough from the initial meeting. Maybe it was his age, but he didn't quite see what his father saw in the man and he'd learned from checking the gossip sites online – Bruce didn't know he, Thor, Loki and Natasha had done so – that before his settling down with Dr. Hansen, Mr. Stark had been a notorious problem-child and playboy. The gossip sites had questioned if the unexpected new man on Stark's arm would be just the beginning of a resurgence of his old habits, what with 40 looming on the horizon and his having been spotted at a science conference again. Steve didn't want to jump to that conclusion and those sites were callous regarding the loss of Mr. Stark's wife no matter how many years it had been, but Steve also wanted to protect his father and his family at all costs. At the moment, there was nothing he could do but accept it and try to trust his dad's judgment, but he was also going to keep an eye open for anything suspicious.

"Whoa!" Peter exclaimed, breaking Steve from his thoughts. "This is where they live?"

Steve looked up from his mindless sketching to crane his neck toward the window of the SUV that had picked them up at the airport. Flying in a private jet had been weird too. Convenient, but weird. Outside the window were an expansive property and a large modern mansion at the end of a long driveway.

"I thought properties like this only existed on HGTV," Loki said incredulously and Steve had to nod in agreement.

"Okay, if anyone was thinking about planning an operation break-up, I will kill them in their sleep and make it look like it was natural causes," Natasha said and they all turned and looked at her, including their dad. "What? The guy's loaded. Tell me exactly what the downside here is."

"Other than he's part of the reason why we're moving?" Steve pointed out. "The reason why you have to leave Bucky?"

Natasha fixed him with a cold stare. " _James_ and I aren't breaking up, FYI. We're going to try and make it work."

"And to be fair, Steve," Bruce interrupted, "moving was always going to happen. I wasn't getting any local job offers that could have paid the bills."

Steve set his jaw, but didn't argue. He knew it had been wishful thinking, but he had been hoping for some kind of miracle that would keep them where they were and Stark had come along and set in stone their upheaval before it could happen.

The SUV pulled up to the house and stopped. Tony opened the passenger door and Steve saw the eager smile as he looked at his dad. "Hey there, gorgeous. Been expecting you," Mr. Stark said and Steve pointedly ignored their quick kiss in favor of gathering up his sketch pad and putting it back into the overnight bag sat between his feet.

They all shuffled out of the SUV and toward the overwhelmingly massive house, following their dad and Tony. The inside looked like a house, sure, but it was so different than their home. There was so much space and he wondered why so much space was necessary. Sure, a few more bedrooms and bathrooms would make the Banner household's life simpler, but he couldn't imagine ever needing this much space. It seemed like there were a million nooks and crannies and there was art – which, okay, he appreciated that aspect – and there were tall ceilings in the main atrium that they were in. He didn't know where to look first.

_Welcome, Dr. Banner and company to the Stark home._

Steve blinked and he and his siblings looked around at each other in slight confusion, except for Jane and Peter who looked at each other with wide eyes filled with excitement.

"Is that the AI you created when you were at MIT?" Peter asked.

_Indeed I am. I am JARVIS and I am here to assist you with any of your needs._

"I didn't realize he was a fan," Tony said to Bruce.

Bruce smiled. "He had heard of you because of his interest in science, but he and Jane have been doing plenty of reading up on your accomplishments lately I think," Steve was close enough to hear his father's softly spoken response.

"I'm honored," Tony replied. Then more loudly he said, "Okay, everyone. You can just set your bags over there on the long couch," he gestured over to a seating area, "for now and we'll figure out sleeping arrangements later. Plenty of guest rooms, but hey who knows. Maybe you'll want to make a pillow fort before the day is done," he said in a chipper tone and Bruce smiled in amusement.

Steve wanted to point out how very unlikely that was, but he didn't.

"More likely there'll be some attempts to pull an all nighter," their dad said in reply.

Steve had to admit that for one reason or another, like sleeping in a strange house five times larger than their own at least, not getting any rest could be a likely scenario.

They all set down their things and then stood around awkwardly. Steve wondered where the Stark kids were hiding and if they were hiding for the same reasons he really didn't want to be there. Dad had said not to treat them weirdly because they couldn't help it they'd been born into a privileged lifestyle, but he was more put off by their not being hospitable.

"If you'll follow me," Tony said, gesturing. "My kids are waiting in the main living area."

He led them around a corner and down a hall until they came into a large living space with plenty of seating, an enormous television and a fireplace. There were also doors that opened up onto the patio and they were currently opened, letting in sunlight and a breeze.

More eye catching, however, were the seven kids of various ages and countenances gathered around waiting for them. They quickly moved into a line and Steve noticed he and his own siblings mirrored it. It was like a weird team matchup.

Steve found himself across from a boy who looked close to his own age. Given his race, Steve went ahead and guessed he was the son of Tony's friend. Steve couldn't help but take in his physique and felt even more confident in that assessment as he looked like a runner.

He must have been staring a little too long, however, because when he met the boy's eyes again his brow was raised curiously, but he smiled just the same. Against his initial expectations about the meeting, Steve found himself returning the smile easily.

"Name tag game," Tony chirped, breaking his gaze away from the other boy, and began passing out note cards with names on them. "You'll all get a name tag and then you'll take turns taking a stab at matching it to the right person. That person will then introduce themselves to the group. I realize three of you have a slight advantage," Tony stopped in front of Jane as he said it, "so you'll be going last. By the way, don't let me forget, I have a birthday present for you," Tony said to his sister and Steve had to admit again the guy wasn't so bad. "We'll start with you," Tony said pointing at him.

Steve looked down at his name tag and blinked. He looked up at the boy across from him again. "Uh," he started sheepishly, scratching at the back of his neck. "I hope this isn't racist, but I'm going to take a stab in the dark and say you're Sam," he said going across to hand him the card. "Mr. Stark's mentioned his son's friend and, well…"

Sam smiled and took the card. "Ha, yeah. I'm Sam and I'm 16. Nice to meet you and everyone else. Consider me your bonus brother. You know, if your dads ever get married," he finished with a laugh.

Steve was a little startled by the fact that Sam's statement wasn't the thing that made his stomach flip a little.

~

"Okay, we'll start from oldest to youngest," Bruce said, explaining a second silly game as they all sat around the room. "When it's your turn, tell us the one thing you would want to take with you if you were deserted on an island and explain why. It's just a little something fun to share something that's special to you or your thinking processes with each other. It can be absolutely anything, crazy or sentimental. Have fun."

Clint rolled his eyes slightly. "This feels like kindergarten."

His dad looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Really? Because I really don't recall playing this game in kindergarten."

"It _is_ essentially show and tell without the show," Bruce's daughter Natasha said with a shrug.

"Huh, I guess it kind of is," his dad said to that. "Oh well, Steve start us up."

"Easy. An art kit," Steve said. "I love art. And it makes sense to have something like that to fall back on when you're otherwise fighting to survive on a deserted island."

"That exo-flight thing I saw at the science conference," Sam said next and Clint shook his head. His friend had gone on and on about it. "I mean, I'm going to be on a deserted island? Might as well be able to fly if I need to. Good way to escape too maybe."

Clint furrowed his brow slightly at the fact that the entire time Sam had kept his eyes locked on Steve as he said it. Before he could consider it further, Bruce's son Thor – which was a fitting nickname Clint had to admit – said, "A hammer."

Everyone looked at him strangely. "Why a hammer?" Loki – that nickname Clint was less sure of, but whatever – asked his brother incredulously.

"Have you never seen those movies where people are trying to use rocks to break open coconuts? Or build houses? I think a hammer would come in handy," Thor explained.

"That actually makes sense," Clint said in support of the idea. "Okay, I guess I'd have to take my bow. Assuming I can't take my quiver with me as part of a package deal, I would just jimmy up some old school arrows out of sticks and sharp rocks. I'd have hunting covered for us."

Natasha snorted. "Well, while Robin Hood is making arrows, I'm going to take a semi-automatic with plenty of rounds already loaded just in case we need a contingency plan."

"Tasha!" Bruce exclaimed in absolute horror.

"You said go crazy," she countered with a point of her finger. "I'm looking at this strategically." Clint agreed with her logic.

Loki was next and he looked thoughtful. "It feels like all of these efforts would be futile in the end if we had no way of getting _off_ the island. I'd take a cell phone just in case we could get signal with it long enough to call for help."

"And while he brings a cell phone, which isn't a bad idea," Skye chimed in quickly after, "I’d want to bring like the best computer I could get my hands on so I could rig up a way to send out distress signals across the radio waves."

"I feel like I'm the only one who will be enjoying my time on the island drawing the scenery," Steve interjected with a small laugh. Clint looked over just in time to see the way Sam snorted quietly at the joke.

"Well, man, look at it this way," Sam said. "You can sell the drawings when we get off the island. You know the public would eat that up. A firsthand look at the statistically implausible odds of fourteen kids surviving on a deserted island," he finished with a twist of his head and Steve gave a quiet snort of his own.

"I would take my surf board," Pietro said suddenly, probably impatient for his turn as he sometimes was apt to be. "That way I could surf whenever."

"That's great, but it was Jane's turn, kiddo," Tony pointed out.

"That's okay," Jane said with a shrug. "I would take a knife to cut stuff like vines."

"That makes more sense than a hammer," Loki said.

"Loki, both are acceptable survival tools and would work well together for the greater good," Bruce admonished his son.

Clint didn't necessarily disagree that the knife was the better of the two options in the long run, but he was definitely starting to get the vibe that Loki was one of those annoying coffee shop dramatic types who was intimidated by his brother's physicality.

"I would take JARVIS," Wanda said next and Clint's head fell back on his shoulders.

_I thank you for the sentiment, but I am not certain there would be any place for me on a deserted island._

"Well, I would make sure you had a body first then," Wanda said, looking thoughtful. "That way you could come along."

_You're too kind, Wanda._

Clint wasn't sure if JARVIS was being sarcastic, as he sometimes was even for an AI, but he _was_ starting to think his little sister had a weird crush on the computer program. It was disturbing.

"Well, I wouldn't take my glasses," Darcy said loudly when her turn came. "I'd want to take my cat, but that seems cruel. I would take a television, but no cable so no point. Maybe I should take a weapon or tool like everyone else. What are those things that cops use to shock people?"

"A taser?" Clint asked skeptically.

"Yeah, that! I'd take that," she replied and Clint saw the way everyone over the age of 13 bit down on an amused laugh and decidely didn't ask her to explain.

"I'd take my potato gun," Harley said next. "I could load it up with fruit and rocks and stuff."

"Either our kids are really violent or scarily good at survival," Bruce said, looking at Tony.

"Have you seen _The Walking Dead_?" Clint fielded that with a question and everyone quickly agreed with his sentiment. "This generation just knows it doesn't hurt to have the skills to survive the zombie apocalypse."

"Of course," Bruce replied with a chuckle. "Okay, Peter, what would you take?"

"That's easy. I'd take you," Peter said. "I'm just a kid. I need adult supervision. They'd probably let me die," he claimed dramatically.

"That's a lovely sentiment, thank you," Bruce said dryly enough to imply he was more amused than touched by being taken along to supervise. "What about you, sweetheart?" He asked the girl sitting in his lap.

"Well, if Peter is already taking you, I guess I would take Tony," Jemma replied sweetly and Clint's eyebrows shot up. "The other kids need their daddy on the island too."

Maybe he was a little soft, but Clint had to admit that was one of the most adorable things he'd ever heard.

 

* * *

 

Thor looked at his note card in consideration. They were playing a game of get to know me hangman, split up into a team of Banners versus Starks, while they sat at a very large table, large enough to accommodate all of them surprisingly. They were waiting for the sandwiches their dads were in the nearby kitchen preparing. Every now and then Thor could hear their laughter drifting over to the dining area and he had to smile. He didn't like the idea of moving, but he liked the idea of his father being happier than ever and the two men certainly seemed to already care about one another.

"I wish I had superspeed as a superpower," Thor read the card and looked at the Stark kids. He recalled Tony mentioning one of his sons liking to go fast… Oh, the other surfer. "Pietro," he guessed.

"Yep!" The boy said snappily. "I'd call myself Quicksilver," he said proudly.

Thor watched then as Clint drew the next card from the pile of cards with random facts about him and his siblings.

"Captain America is my favorite superhero. Really?" Clint raised an eyebrow and turned his head to Sam beside him. "Is this yours and it got mixed in with theirs?"

"No," Sam replied.

"O _kay_ ," Clint drawled, sounding skeptical as he turned and looked back down the line of Banners. He narrowed his eyes studiously before they settled on Steve with what Thor thought looked like suspicion. "Steve?"

"Yeah, yeah that's mine," Steve answered. "I know he's old fashioned, but…"

"Nah, man, he's awesome," Sam countered before Steve could say anything more.

"You think so?" Steve asked, sounding surprised.

Thor looked at his brother with a smile as he and Sam started chattering about the comic book character. It was nice to see him hitting it off with Sam. His friendship with Bucky had been strained a little of late because of Natasha and his only other really good friend was Peggy.

"I used to wish my nickname was Falcon," Loki interrupted their conversation about Captain America. "Hmm. Clint?"

"Wrong bird, sorry," Clint answered with a smirk. "My nickname is Hawkeye actually. Because my eyes are good and I'm better at archery the further I am from the target."

"That's another body part for the Banners," Skye said, keeping score, and drew an arm on their skeleton. "But, wait, which one of us used to want to be nicknamed Falcon?" She said with a scrunch of her face as she looked at her brothers and sisters.

"That'd be me," Sam responded.

"Oh, thank God. I thought it was actually a Stark," Skye said in melodramatic relief. "Hawkeye is bad enough."

"Yeah, yeah, okay," Sam said, nudging the girl beside him with his shoulder.

"I like spiders," Harley read the next one. "Sweet! Please say it's you, dude," the boy said to Peter, who sat across from him.

Thor looked down the table to see his brother's face brighten instantly. "Yep."

"Cool. Do you like rats? I have a pet rat. Everybody thinks that's gross, but whatever."

"No way," Peter said in disbelief. "Rats are cool. My dad would never get me a rat."

"I offered to get you a hamster," Bruce said defensively as he brought two plates over and sat them down in front of Peter and Jemma before turning back toward the kitchen again.

"That's not the same thing," Peter mumbled.

"Totally isn't," Harley agreed.

"I am mostly deaf in my left ear," Natasha read a new card aloud.

Thor's eyes widened. He didn't mean to be insensitive, but he never would have guessed it of any of the other kids. He looked to see Natasha studying them all carefully, as if that could somehow give away something that wasn't visibly obvious. She tilted her head and gazed at Clint long and hard.

"It's you," she finally said and it didn't sound to Thor like a guess, rather a confident statement.

"What gave it away?" Clint asked.

"I've noticed you pay attention to your surroundings more than the others. And you said yourself your eyes are good." She shrugged. "Makes sense."

Wanda drew the next one and read, "I take ballet." She furrowed her brow. "Jane?"

Jane shook her head. "Sorry. I tried it, but I'm not graceful at all."

"That would be me," Natasha supplied as Skye added another limb to the Stark skeleton.

Thor mused that at this rate they would run out of cards before anyone won the game. Not to mention, their dads had returned, setting down two large platters of sandwiches and two large bowls of chips. Soon the game would be forgotten regardless. Thor was already more interested in the food if he were being honest.

Skye drew a card next and read, "I wish I had the library from _Beauty and the Beast_." She looked down the table and then softened her gaze on Jemma. Thor smiled, also seeing the way his little sister fidgeted in her seat. "Somebody's trying not to give away that it's her card," Skye said playfully. "Jemma?"

"Yes, that's mine," she said. "I love to read."

For some unknown reason, Skye squealed in delight. "Dad!"

"I'm right here," Tony said as he plopped down a thing of paper plates and settled into a chair.

"Dad, we have to go show Jemma the library! Like, right now," Skye said enthusiastically.

"After lunch," Tony said with an air of finality.

 

* * *

 

The tour of the house had proven it was the kind of decadent palace any sane person, if they were honest with their most basal nature, would desire to live in. By the time it was all said and done, Loki had to agree with Natasha's earlier threat regarding any operation breakup. He could more than certainly play nice if he had to for this kind of trade-off.

Yet for all the grandeur of the house and its countless amenities, Loki had to agree with his youngest sister that the library was by far the crowning jewel. Apparently in redesigning the Stark family home, it was the one room that had been preserved and designed around. That showed in the richness of the room. It apparently was the room that got the smallest amount of use, not something that Loki found surprising, which made it all the more alluring. Ducking into a place like this, away from the ignorance of the modern world and his peers, would be divine.

Now that basic introductions and the tour were over their fathers dismissed them to navigate their own way through this strange new alliance, or to go have fun and become friends as Tony had put it, until dinner time which was voted on to be take out Chinese. They had then left them to it.

For a few moments it was awkward, like a bunch of shy teenagers at a super lame party. Loki sat down on one of the library couches, Jemma bounding over to sit beside him with some book or another she'd picked up, and watched curiously from a distance to see how things would go.

Steve was the first to leave the library, following after Sam to play some basketball like he was suddenly love stricken over the Captain America-loving runner; that was an interesting possibility.

Natasha had seemed to strike an accord with Clint, though over what he couldn't care to guess at the moment.

Peter ran off with Harley to look at his pet rat or something; that they might try to get along was no surprise to him.

Jane started talking to Wanda about the importance of robotics in space which certainly got the Stark's attention and they left to do who knows what, the youngest Stark girl, Darcy, following like a tagalong; he would never admit it, but Loki was endlessly amused by how Jane could twist anything in science to discuss its pertinence to space.

For a few moments Pietro stood around looking rather mopey and uncertain about where he fit in the grand scheme of things until Thor swooped in, like the annoyingly endearing bumbling teddy bear that he was, and asked him about surfing; Pietro practically dragged him away to show him his surfboards.

"Well, either everyone will get along swimmingly or somebody will be carried off to the emergency room before the day is over," he mused out loud once it was quiet again.

"What does swimmingly mean?" Jemma looked up at him curiously. "Nobody's swimming."

"In that sense it means very nicely or very well," he answered her. She gave a soft 'oh' and went back to the book that Loki wasn't entirely sure she understood, but he always had to give her credit for giving it a good effort.

"So…" He looked up to be reminded that Skye hadn't wandered off yet. Instead, she was walking over toward them. "Not to make a basic assumption," she said as she sat down in a nearby armchair, "but are you into the whole coffee shop scene?"

"What gave it away?" He asked, debating on if he was amused or annoyed by her presence and prodding. "The emo-hipster clothing or the fact I'd much rather sit here surrounded by books than join the meatheads?"

"A little bit of both," she replied with disarming ease. He liked when people didn't blink at his sharper tongue. "I was just asking because there's this mom-and-pop local coffee house not too far from here. Super popular, but like not popular enough to make it a Starbucks, you know? Maybe you can check it out tomorrow before you guys leave or next time our dads decide to schedule a weird play date," she said, seemingly amused by their fathers' desperate attempts to make the transition go smoothly.

"At least you and I brought technology to the island," he replied to that with a snort.

"I know right?" Skye said with a twist of her head and quirked face.

"Since we're making basic assumptions," Loki started after a pause, "I wouldn't have guessed you to be in that scene." He looked at her pointedly.

"I wouldn't say I am either," she said with a shrug. "I'm not really in any one scene or group. My interests are pretty vast and I'm kind of like a chameleon. If I'm into something, I can pretty much get along with anyone and if I can't, oh well. I guess I'm a people person?"

"Gross," Loki drawled, but not without a quirk of his lips.

She seemed to find his passive-aggressive insult amusing. "Hey, I get it. Being a people person isn't for everybody. And there are days even I need to recharge and get away from the sheer amount of annoying and stupid that exists out there."

"Hmm. So you're not a sheep, but a chameleon?" He looked at her slightly dubious, but not entirely without intrigue at her assessment.

"Yep," she chirped. "I don't think everybody who does the sheep thing is actually doing it because they realize it. I think some of them even enjoy what is considered one scene or another for the most part. The thing about being a chameleon is I know that I don't fit into any preconceived box so I just change my skin for whatever group I'm hanging with at the moment. It's not that I’m not me anymore when I change my skin, I'm just showing a different layer."

"Like a shape shifter?" He asked with a tilt of his head.

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense too. Only, I'm not trying to deceive anyone. Kind of the opposite. I'm just trying to be as true to myself in any given moment that I can."

Loki didn't respond to that, rather sat in silence for a moment. When he did speak he said, "So what's this coffee house like?"

 

* * *

 

Natasha sat down next to Clint around the fire pit where they were all eating their Chinese and still essentially acting like this was summer camp or something. She almost expected Tony to break out marshmallows for toasting and her dad to break out an untuned guitar to lead them in a rousing chorus of Kumbaya. Or at least they might if they weren't otherwise occupied with flirting with one another as they ate their dinner, clearly more interested in each other than the rest of them at the moment. It was sickeningly sweet and not at all what she and James were like, she insisted even in her own private thoughts.

It wasn't the only flirting that was going on at the moment though, she thought as she moved her eyes over to where Steve, Sam, Thor and Skye were chattering around their dinner. She shook her head, trying to piece together that puzzle.

"So then I'm not the only one wondering if there's something going on there?" Clint asked her.

"I doubt it'll go anywhere if there is," she said lowly. "He's been crushing on the same girl since eighth grade, great friends, she'd probably date him, but he still hasn't made a move. I thought maybe it was because he was into his friend, my boyfriend James, but now I'm wondering if he's more like me."

He raised an eyebrow in her direction and she realized what she had said. She contemplated sharing the rest. It wasn't that she was ashamed, but very few people of the people she'd told believed her or understood. Deciding on a gut instinct that she could trust him, she admitted to her secret.

"I'm asexual. Always have been. I was probably the only five year old I knew who just didn't care if Beauty fell in love with the Beast or let him die," she said with a snort. "Problem is not many people believe me because I'm not uncomfortable talking about sex. It's just part of nature and, hey, I get not everybody is like me so why pretend they are? I still have the things that do it for me on occasion and I do have a boyfriend, but my boyfriend is just the only exception so far." She shrugged as she tried to explain.  


"I don't know the first thing about being ace," Clint replied as he shoveled some food into his mouth without manners and continued while he still chewed, "but isn't that your boyfriend is okay with whatever boundaries you need what matters in this situation? You're not in a relationship with anyone else, right? Does _he_ believe you?"

She narrowed her eyes and studied him. He hadn't even blinked, but maybe it was because he didn't know her as well as others to be confused by her complexity. "He seems to. Says he does and hasn't acted otherwise yet," she indulged him.

"What about your dad?" Clint then asked.

Natasha looked down at her plate and then looked over toward her father. He was talking about something and whatever it was Tony was listening intently and the fire was gleaming in both of their dark eyes like a metaphor for the obvious spark between them.

"I haven't tried to explain it to him," Natasha finally answered. "It's not that I think he won't believe me. And he obviously won't think something's wrong with me. I mean, he's very supportive of our choices as long as they're healthy because of his own hardships. But at the same time I just don't know if I want to tell him. He sees me as his little girl who's growing up and dating and that kind of thing. He already worries about me getting hurt. I don't want him to worry that I'm going to get myself hurt even more because others might not understand. I'm maybe even a little afraid he'll say _he_ understands, but won't act like it. I don't know. It's dumb I guess, but it's just easier for me if he just sees me as a teenage girl who's into boys right now. It helps that it makes him super uncomfortable too," she added with humor and he snorted.

"I guess I can understand that. Sometimes it's easier to just want to be yourself for a while without your dad breathing down your neck. To figure stuff out on your own," Clint said with enough conviction that she had to wonder what it was that he was keeping from his dad. "I don't want to go to college," he said as if reading her mind. "Not in the way everybody expects me to anyway. Which, I don't think my dad would throw a hissy fit about it or anything, but there's kind of this pressure there just the same. I'm the oldest Stark and everybody's just waiting for the day the first of the next generation of Starks goes off to college. I should be brilliant because my mom was even if I'm not a biological Stark, but I'm just not. I would flounder at MIT. That's Skye's thing, not mine. I haven't decided what I want to do yet, but I'd like to play the professional archery circuit and then as far as college goes, I don't know, maybe if I do go I'll try something in law enforcement. It's something I've considered. Like being FBI or special ops would be my real dream, just not sure on the roadmap from here to there yet."

Natasha smiled thinly as she took a few bites of food, letting the various chatter and crackle of the fire fill the silence between them for a few moments.

"I've considered law enforcement too," she admitted. It was something nobody knew about her. "Criminal justice of some kind and I'm interested in FBI too. It's… My birth parents were killed and I was abducted by a crime ring when I was nine."

"The fuck?" He looked at her with wide-eyed disbelief. "Are you okay? I mean, that kind of post-trauma… It just doesn't go away, right?"

She tightened her lips and shook her head. "I think it would have been worse if I'd been shuffled into the system afterwards," Natasha said after a slight moment to get her bearings and press on. "My dad, Dr. Banner… He fought tooth and nail to be able to adopt me. His cousin Jennifer helped too when she recovered from being shot. I've never told anybody this save my therapist, but the police found me just in time. I knew what they were going to do with me and I was going to burn the place to the ground before they even got a chance," she said as evenly as possible.

"It's not even about revenge or justice for what happened to me," she continued. "At least, I don't think it is. I just want to be on the side of the law that prevents that kind of thing. I want to be the person who does every damn thing possible to get the people out who need getting out."

Clint gave her a solemn look, but had the decency not to patronize her with sympathy. "Well then," he toasted her with his soda instead, "here's to the futures we want."

 

* * *

 

As the second film of the night ended and the kids clamored for another one because they weren't tired, Bruce chuckled softly to himself. "This has gone remarkably well so far," Bruce murmured to Tony who sat beside him with his arm around his shoulders.

"We'll see if they're all as amicable with each other in the morning," Tony muttered back with a knowing smirk.

"Sounds like a fun experiment," Bruce replied as he looked down at Jemma, who had passed out halfway during the second movie with her head in his lap. "I'm usually pretty strict with bed times during the school year, but I don't see the point in stopping them from having fun if they're getting along. Could be good for them to do the whole stay up until they crash bonding thing," he said thoughtfully. "But Miss Jemma needs a bed," he added.

Tony nodded and carefully removed his arm and stood up. "Okay, everybody. Your dads have reached the mutual agreement that you can stay up if you want to. Watch some more movies, do each other's hair and makeup, whatever. Ground rules are pretty simple. Nothing inappropriate or illegal, JARVIS is monitoring and my kids know I'll know. If anything happens, have JARVIS alert me immediately. Stay in the house. JARVIS will alert me if you go outside. My kids, this is your sugary substance cutoff. If you get thirsty, water from here on out. If you get hungry, limit it to the popcorn or leftovers in the fridge. I think that about covers it."

Bruce carefully stood and picked Jemma up into his arms. She stirred slightly, but didn't wake up. "My kids, those rules apply to you too in case it wasn't clear. I'm sure JARVIS will alert me if it's one of you."

"Since when have we ever given you cause to worry?" Natasha asked skeptically.

"The Aisle 10 incident," he answered evenly.

"Well played," she said and looked away.

Bruce shook his head and carefully stepped around the kids lounging on the floor. As he passed one of the bucket seats on his way to the door, Skye said, "Hey, you can put her in my room if you'd like."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I figure if she wakes up in the middle of the night, she's less likely to freak out in my room than the impersonal guest room," she said with a shrug. "It's also one of the closest rooms to the master," she added knowingly.

"She might have a point there," Tony said from where he was waiting by the door. Bruce gave him a small smile.

"Thank you, Skye," Bruce then said and followed Tony out of the theater room.

Tony led the way to Skye's room and then held out his arm to let him pass. Bruce moved toward the full sized bed. Tony was at his side again and pulling back the covers for him. Bruce carefully deposited Jemma down and she startled a little.

"Daddy?" She mumbled, semiconscious, as he covered her up.

"Shh. It's okay. You're in Skye's bed, sweetheart. Go back to sleep," he urged her, giving her a soft kiss at her hairline, and her head relaxed into the pillow. Suddenly one of the Starks' cats, the one Skye had called Quake if he wasn't mistaken and that had taken to Jemma immediately, came bounding across the bed and curled up next to her. He smiled at the sight and when he turned, Tony was smiling too.

"I don't know about you," Tony said in a hushed tone once they were out in the hall again and moving in the direction the billionaire's feet had chosen, "but even if they are all grumps in the morning, after today I'm thinking this crazy supersized thing might work." Bruce hummed in agreement. "And I'm so damn relieved," Tony said then, stopping sharply beside him.

Bruce stopped a few feet ahead before he turned and looked to see clear relief mingled with lust in Tony's dark eyes. It couldn't be far off from what his own eyes looked like, he thought.

"Me too," he confessed.

He had told himself that he liked Tony too much to be dissuaded if the kids didn't hit it off right away, but now that the bandage had been ripped off with minimal pain he had to admit he hoped that it might stay this easy because at the end of the day his kids' feelings were still important and he might be dissuaded in spite of his determination not to be if it wasn't easy.

They stood there in mutual relief for a long moment, letting it surround them. Their eyes remained locked and the inevitable hung in the air like a balloon just waiting to pop.

Bruce wasn't sure when it happened or who made the first move, but suddenly there were lips against his own where there hadn't been before. Those lips were raw and hungry, wasting no time in pulling him in deeper. With their bodies pressed together they began to fumble in the direction Tony was attempting to push them, with Bruce doing his part in moving backwards. At least until they ran into a wall, having missed the bend in the hallway.

They broke apart for a few seconds to laugh a little at that, but it was just as quickly forgotten as they made the most of the 'inconvenience' and went right back to devouring one another as if it had been a month since they'd last had this kind of physical contact and not a week. If Bruce wasn't quickly losing his rational thought, he'd wonder longer about how they would manage the upcoming nearly _three weeks_ when they likely wouldn't be able to have any of this kind of contact because of their schedules being uncertain.

"What about you, Bruce?" Tony teased huskily when they were forced to breathe. "Tired or are you interested in an all-nighter?" He asked as his hands roamed south towards his hips and one dipped lower to leave an infuriatingly light touch against Bruce's growing hardness.

Bruce grasped Tony's hand and pressed it harder against him, noting the ravenous glaze in Tony's eyes at the motion. "What do you think?" He challenged, practically groaning the question.

Tony leaned into his ear and sucked on it before whispering, "I think we're going to fuck each other hard and filthy. Is that what you want?" Bruce tried to keep the obscene noise in the back of his throat from being too loud as Jemma was still just down the hall, but it was hard as Tony kept going with a slew of equally obscene refrains in his ear. "Is that what you want, Bruce?" Tony asked again, granting him a momentary reprieve to answer with breathless desire.

"Fuck, _yes_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Please pardon the horribly written fade-to-black stuff :3 While those scenes aren't my forte I still want to show various shades of Bruce/Tony relationship -sensual, raw lust, flirting, h/c, general fluff, etc.- so that's why it's there in all it's hilarity. Sorry.  
> 2\. Natasha as a Grey-A in this is in great part based on my own experience as a Grey-A with periods of demi and not meant to be a blanket portrayal of all Grey-As or an effective PSA. At Natasha's age I struggled with a lot of what I have her going through - not needing/always wanting sex but being able to talk/joke about it, only liking people based on exceptions I didn't always understand, nobody really understanding my complexity when it came to sexuality (why I could go from crushing to ew never just stop), and feeling confused about myself sometimes so just not talking about it. Only at Natasha's age I had no clue what asexuality even was so I'm writing it from an older pov trying to imagine how I might have felt with that struggle had I known about it. Sorry if any of it comes across as id-ing too much. I tried to also incorporate other Grey-A experiences that I've read/heard of. And I tried to incorporate it with some other personality glimpses we have of Natasha in canon (e.g. her struggling with her own identity, trust issues, not being unable to get close to people so long as within boundaries, etc.)  
> 3\. In spite of Natasha's observations, Steve's sexual identity will be left up to the interpretation of the reader as he navigates his feelings.  
> 4\. The kids getting along surprisingly well was always the twist this family fic was going to take as opposed to doing the "we hate each other omg you're ruining our lives angst angst let's break them up and not be adaptable at all" trope.


	11. The Fall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you read Chapter 10 before I edited it, I noticed a timeline error when formatting this chapter. In the last chapter it originally said the following two weeks would be busy for Bruce and Tony but it was supposed to be three weeks (give or take a few days - I swear while writing I had a detailed calendar outline of stuff in the story including birthdays based on the actors') so when two weeks is mentioned in this chapter it's because it's in the midst of the three weeks and not an error. Glad I caught that.

Tony stood in the doorway of Bruce's office for a moment, just watching him scribble notes on whatever it was he was working on. He hummed every now and then.

"Tell me, professor. Is there anything I can do to get you to change my grade on that last exam?" He finally asked as he took several steps into the room.

He saw the quirk of Bruce's lips which told him the physicist knew it was him, but Bruce kept his head down and eyes fixed on whatever he was working on. "Well, it _has_ been two weeks since I last saw my boyfriend. I might be desperate enough to negotiate something." Bruce looked up at him with a troll-like gleam in his eyes.

Tony smirked and leaned across the desk, palms against the top of it. "In that case…" He kissed Bruce with a teasing sense of promise.

"Hmm," Bruce hummed as they broke apart, keeping his lips lingering close to Tony's for a moment before sitting back and shaking his head. "Nope, sorry. I'm just too crazy about my boyfriend to take any substitutes. Next time, study harder."

Tony grinned, probably a bit madly, at their little game and how easy their banter was as he straightened up only to perch his hip against the desk instead. "It was worth a shot. So this boyfriend of yours…"

"Should have called me to let me know he was coming," Bruce completed the sentence.

"And where's the fun in that?" Tony pouted melodramatically and Bruce gave a small huff of a laugh. "Seriously, though. This morning we were going over the tentative SI schedule for next month and it's such a downer that the only thing that got me through it was promising myself I'd pop in on you for a visit. Want to have dinner tonight?"

Bruce winced. "My daughter's boyfriend is coming over for dinner," he said. "And even though he's been over to dinner several times as Steve's friend, this is the first time since they started dating and I don't know, apparently that makes it a big deal." He shrugged as if at a loss when it came to his teen daughter's mind. "She begged me to make James' favorite dish, which," he looked down at his watch, "I have to leave here soon if I'm going to get to the store and home in time to make it."

"Ouch, guess I should have called," Tony said with a shake of his head.

Bruce looked at him with an expression that seemed just as sorry before turning thoughtful. "Well, Steve's going to be working and Thor has a class at the Y! tonight…" He held up his finger then and pulled out his phone.

"You know, all SI employees get free Starkphones and Starkpads for themselves and their families as an incentive. That and because we make a million of them and it looks good for employees and their families to promote the brand," Tony explained quickly as Bruce held the phone up to his ear and looked at him.

"Read about it in the packet," Bruce said evenly. "Needless to say, the kids are looking forward to that particular perk," he added with a chuckle. "Hey, Red. Having a meltdown yet?" Bruce asked with amusement and given the nickname Tony guessed it was Natasha he had called. "What do you mean Peter…?" He paused and then sighed. "Look, no, threatening him isn't the appropriate response to that." Bruce rolled his eyes and Tony barked out a laugh before slapping a hand over his mouth, feeling a little comical as he did. Bruce scrunched his face in amusement, looking at him. "What? Yes, somebody's here with me. Look, I promise you Peter will not go anywhere near the blackmail box."

"Blackmail box?" Tony mouthed in confusion and Bruce held up another finger to let him know he would explain.

"I swear I will lock it in my room as soon as I get home. You know what, let's compromise. You promise to calm down and stop threatening your brothers and sisters and I'll trust you to go get the blackmail box and lock it in _your_ room. Deal?" There was a long silence and Tony honestly couldn't wait to hear more about this mysterious box. "Alright. Look, Tasha, Tony is here. Came down for a visit. Do you mind if he has dinner with us… If he wants?" Bruce looked at him with a raised eyebrow in offer. Tony nodded. "No, we won't be gross in front of James," Bruce promised with a laugh and shake of his head. "Okay, well, I'll see you and the others in a little bit. Love you. Tell the others. Bye." Bruce set down his phone. "Well, that's reassuring. She said yes which means she trusts you."

"That's _very_ reassuring since I kind of got the impression she could easily kill me if she wanted."

"Aha, yeah. That's my little princess," Bruce deadpanned. "My very confusing little princess. Tonight should be a blast."

"Yes, well don't worry. Dad's boyfriend will be on his best behavior and not embarrass her," he joked and Bruce laughed. "Kids already out of school?" He asked curiously, looking at his own watch.

"Last day was last Thursday," he said as he stood up and began gathering up his papers.

"Huh. My kids don't get out until this Friday. But S.H.I.E.L.D. runs the same as the New York public school system and doesn't start until Labor Day."

"That will be immensely helpful for when we move," Bruce said conversationally as he bustled about putting things into his brown messenger bag. "Less of a time crunch to get them into a school before the year starts back up."

"Right," Tony agreed. "So, blackmail box?"

Bruce snorted. "Yeah, it's one of my weirder parenting strategies," he said. "Essentially, it's a collection of embarrassing things of each of us. It's both a trust exercise and my way of making sure my kids aren't hoarding embarrassing things about one another for blackmail purposes. All embarrassing photos, old school projects, that sort of thing are collected in a tub for safekeeping and as a reminder that we all have things that are embarrassing. And if need be, it's used as a consequence when appropriate."

"Takes the power out of blackmailing your sibling when dad can punish you with your own embarrassing past, am I right?" Tony guessed.

"Pretty much," he replied. "I would never be cruel about it, but there have been a few times we've had to break it out." He sighed then. "Well, sorry it's not going to be the hot date you were probably hoping for. You know you really don't have to stay if you don't want to," Bruce said.

"I haven't seen you for two weeks, Bruce," Tony replied to that, and he couldn't help but wonder a little when it had started to get to the point that a mere two weeks was an eternity. "Even grocery shopping with you is good enough for me right now," he said genuinely.

 

* * *

 

"Oh, I managed to get next Thursday off," Bruce said to Tony as he picked through the zucchini looking for one that would work for the dish. "Was going to call you about it actually. And talk to the kids tonight or tomorrow."

"That's good," Tony said, "because I already had the yacht prepared." 

Tony was referring to an idea they had bounced around, once Tony had brought it up, about taking Tony's yacht out for the July Fourth fireworks and having a big, combined birthday celebration for Skye and Steve since their birthdays were only two days apart.

"A yacht. Can't get over that concept." Bruce shook his head. "I think Steve will be on board for it, but I can't always tell with him."

"It would probably be easier if he could actually invite some of his friends," Tony pointed out. "Skye will have some of her friends there so it wouldn't seem very fair otherwise."

"I know," Bruce said and then bit the inside of his cheek. "I was thinking about asking if James could tag along, but I don't know if his parents would be okay with him coming along for four days. I'd have to ask them. I—"

"Hey, you." He was interrupted by Betty's voice and they both turned to see her coming toward them. Leo was perched on the back of the cart as she pushed. "I… Oh my god, I can finally meet him," she derailed enthusiastically as her eyes settled on Tony.

"Tony," Bruce started the introductions, "this is my best friend Dr. Betty Ross. And her son, Leo. Betty, this is Tony Stark. Though clearly you don't need an introduction," he said with a small smirk.

"Hello, Dr. Ross," Tony said with a wide, friendly smile as he extended his hand out to her. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you." Bruce couldn't help but smile a little as well at them finally meeting and he could tell by Tony's tone that he meant it; he'd heard his fake tone a lot at his birthday gala.

"That goes double for me," Betty said in response with her own warm smile.

"And, hello there, Leo," Tony then said moving his attention to the boy.

"Is it true you're dating Jemma's dad?" Leo asked precociously. "Because she said you are, but you're Tony Stark." He tilted his head incredulously.

Tony's eyebrows shot up. "Yes, I _am_ Tony Stark. And according to that magazine," Tony looked over at the front of Betty's cart and Bruce followed his gaze in surprise, "I _am_ indeed dating Jemma's dad."

"Are you going to take Jemma away?" Leo asked with a pout then.

"Oh, so that's it," Tony said knowingly and looked back and forth between Bruce and Betty.

"Leo, we've been through this," Betty said gently. "Jemma is moving. That doesn't have anything to do with Mr. Stark. She would have moved anyway." Then she looked at Tony apologetically. "Sorry, he's going to miss Jemma a lot."

Then, being the somewhat impulsive man that Bruce had come to learn he was, Tony said, "If you're not busy next Saturday, we're having a yacht party for my daughter and Steve and watching the Macy's fireworks show. At least that's the tentative plan. The more the merrier."

Betty blinked several times and Bruce had to admit it probably mirrored his own expression. "Wow, I'd… I'd have to talk to my husband. Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. I'm sure Leo here would have a blast. And I wouldn't mind getting to know Bruce's friends better," Tony said breezily. "May I?" He pointed to the magazine and Betty nodded.

"I'll tell you more once we iron out the details," Bruce hedged for the time being.

Tony had already told him to extend the invitation to his cousin Jennifer as well since she'd called in absolute disbelief over seeing him with Tony on a magazine cover. It felt like little by little his world was starting to meld with Tony's and it was strangely thrilling. It made it feel more like a normal relationship and not like he'd been swept into a magical world where his old life couldn't follow.

He looked over at Tony as he still skimmed the magazine. "So, what are they saying this time?" It was weird that he was getting used to that type of dialogue.

"Looks like they finally got wind of the fact that we've got thirteen kids between us," Tony answered with a grimace and held up the cover for him to see it.

The cover had a photo of them from the gala and thirteen black squares around them with the tacky headline **Unlucky 13?**  Tony closed it, pulled out his Starkphone and snapped a photo before handing the magazine back to Betty.

"I'm going to send this to PR just to make sure they're aware that it's public knowledge now. They probably do, but still." He sighed. "Sorry, Bruce."

Bruce also sighed. "It's okay. We always knew it was inevitable. _I_ knew. Doesn't change anything."

Betty smiled softly. "I'm sure you two can handle it, but best of luck. It was nice to meet you, Mr. Stark. And thank you for the invitation," she said before bowing out gracefully.

After that, Bruce hurried with the rest of his shopping not having expected the delay. When they made it to the check out there was another magazine with his and Tony's faces on it. He was getting used to the dialogue, sure, but he wondered if he would ever get used to seeing his face everywhere. He shook his head and focused his attention on Tony instead, the real one of course and not the picture.

"So, I was wondering if I could go ahead and finalize everything for my employment at SI next Thursday," Bruce started. "I mean, if it's too early, I understand. But I just know I won't be able to until after the end of July. In fact, probably won't have time to do much of anything next month what with the second half of the interim and packing for when we do move," he explained.

"I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem," Tony replied. "In fact, I was thinking about going ahead and getting you and yours set up with your phones and tablets next weekend. I know you might protest when it comes to Peter and Jemma and ultimately that's your call, but I can kidlock them like Harley's. Until he's 10, he can only use it to make emergency calls or calls to the contacts I preset for him. And he can use it for the camera and mp3s and whatnot. But no apps without my permission," Tony rambled and Bruce decided they could discuss it later. He might not mind letting Peter have one since he already swiped his phone to take a million pictures anyway, but he wasn't sold on letting Jemma have one.

"Eager are we?" Bruce asked in amusement, keeping his other thoughts to himself. "Or do our budget phones offend you?" He raised a playful eyebrow.

"If I say yes?" Tony asked earnestly and Bruce laughed. "But it's maybe a little bit of both. Also, you're not the only one that'll be busy next month so finalizing everything next week makes sense to me. Speaking of, if I don't pop in on you at random like this, you'll know why."

"Yeah? Is Pepper actually putting you to work?" He asked, marveling at how easy that question came having only spoken with the COO twice, once at the gala and another time over the phone. But Tony _did_ complain enough via text about Pepper nagging him about something or another.

Tony laughed. "Yeah, I've got to head to Japan for a week to meet with one of our subsidiaries. And then when I get back I have to do my annual goodwill check in on all of my major factories. Inspire morale and whatnot." He sighed. "Then I've got some press things in between there somewhere. They'll probably ask all about you so we'll have to go over what's okay and not okay for me to say. I'll have PR cc you the questions when they send them to me."

Bruce could only nod, feeling a little overwhelmed for Tony's sake. And maybe a little bit for himself.

 

* * *

 

Skye tried to sit as still as possible as Steve painted her portrait. Her dad had bought him an art easel and paints for his birthday and hadn't been able to wait to give them to him so they had exchanged gifts the night before instead of doing presents on the yacht. Steve's dad had gotten her a charm bracelet and let each of his kids pick out a charm for it which Skye thought was incredibly sentimental and it made her hopeful for this insane thing their dads had started.

"You're okay with this, right?" Skye asked as she looked down at the bracelet thoughtfully.

"With…?" Steve prompted without stopping what he was doing.

"I don't know. With sharing our birthday party for one, I guess," she started haphazardly. She had really meant with their dads, but decided maybe that was a silly question in the grand scheme of things.

She saw one shoulder shrug from the portion of him she could see beyond the easel. "It's not really a big deal. I mean, it's weird enough sharing my birthday with America," he said jokingly and she laughed. She couldn't imagine that since she'd always found it weird enough having a birthday two days before. "And, you know, I've never gotten to celebrate on a yacht so that's pretty cool. Excessive, but cool."

She snorted. "Yeah, 'excessive, but cool' is like the Stark tagline. But I'm glad you're okay with it. And that your friend Bucky could come along. He seems pretty neat."

"He is," Steve replied. "Well, when he's not with Natasha."

"Are you jealous?" She blurted out before she could stop herself.

"Uh, maybe a little. Not like… I don't know." He paused and then sighed. "Not like as in I want to date him myself or anything. It's just we were really close and then one day he's into my little sister which is weird enough in itself. Not that Tasha's not great, but… We're just not as close as we used to be because half of his time goes to her now. It's that kind of jealousy I guess."

Skye considered it for a moment. "Well, what if it was the other way around and you had someone and he didn't? He might feel the same. Or if you both had someone you might feel differently."

Steve nodded. "Yeah, I know. Which is why I hate that I'm jealous," he said. "Like right now. It bugs me that my dad and your dad let them go out to dinner with them, Aunt Betty and Uncle Leonard. I don't know why it does, it just does."

Skye pursed her lips, not sure what to say to that. She thought it was sweet that Dr. Banner had wanted to give his daughter a chance to have a fancy date with her boyfriend at a fancy restaurant while she had the chance. She thought it was sweet that her dad had agreed, especially since one of these days she might be in the same position and want the same treatment Natasha was getting.

Suddenly a thought occurred to her. "Maybe you're jealous that you _don't_ have anyone to have that kind of thing with," she suggested. "Like maybe it's the concept you're jealous of. Do you like somebody?"

Steve still his hand and his face went slightly red. "I, uh… Well, there's… There _is_ this girl back home," he stammered. Then he jumped off of his stool and grabbed his sketchpad from behind him. He brought it over to her and to her surprise let her look. The last time he'd been there he'd kept it as close to his chest as possible whenever he was sketching. "Her name's Peggy. She's on the second page and a few others," he admitted sheepishly as he walked back over to the easel. "Oh, and I'm really just about finished so you can move," he added.

"She seems really pretty," Skye said as she looked over the sketches, some in color pencil that showed off the girl's auburn hair and bright red lips. She almost looked like a glamour girl from the forties, Skye mused. "So what's the deal with her? Just friends or what?"

"I don't know. I'm just not good with the feelings thing I guess," he answered. "I like her a lot, but I guess maybe not enough to do anything about it? Or maybe I'm just scared she'll freak out and it'll ruin our friendship." He sighed. "Guess it doesn't matter much now since we're moving to New York. And she's been hanging out with this new group a lot this year so we haven't even been that close lately anyway." He shrugged.

"Can I look at some more of your sketches?" Skye asked rather than commenting on his story. She really wasn't in much of a position to give him any advice.

"Sure," he said.

She began flipping through the pages and found sketches of random objects, his family, a lot of a dog she guessed was theirs, and even fan art which totally surprised her. "You're really, really good," she said impressed. "And you draw fan art? You don't even know how much I want to commission you right now. Wait, are you on Deviantart?"

"Uh… Maybe," he answered hesitantly.

"That's awesome," she said. She wouldn't prod him for his username since she knew well enough how sacred privacy could be. If he wanted to share, he would.

"Hey, how's it coming?" Sam said, coming into the room at that moment. He leaned over the armchair Skye was in and tilted his head looking at the page of sketches she was on which happened to be sketches of Tony and Bruce together. There were some in a realistic style and then some in a more fun, cartoony style. "Damn," Sam said and then moved to stand beside Steve. " _Damn._ "

"Thanks," Steve said with a smile.

"That's a nice touch," Sam said, pointing at something on the painting. "He's making you look even prettier than usual, Skye," he said with a nod in her direction.

"Well, that's good to hear," Skye said, though she hadn't had any doubt. She looked back down at the sketchbook and flipped to the next page. Her eyes widened and she looked back up again.

"Seriously, man. This kind of talent would be wasted in the army," Sam said to Steve.

Steve smiled sheepishly, but then shrugged humbly. "Yeah, well, art's pretty competitive. Talent like mine is a dime a dozen. It's not always enough. I don't know if I want to go to art school and then end up with nothing to show for it like a lot of other very talented people."

"I guess I can understand that. Well, hey, when you're done I was wondering if you wanted to go a few rounds in the ring?"

"Uh, yeah, sure," Steve answered as Skye flipped to the next page of the sketchbook to see more of the same as the page before. "This won't be much longer. Just a few finishing touches."

"Cool. I'm heading there now. Clint thinks he can out bench Thor," Sam said with an incredulous laugh as he walked away.

"Not a chance," Steve called after him. When they were alone again Skye looked at Steve long and hard and with a wide smile. "What?" He asked when he noticed her.

"You like him," she said knowingly.

His face colored, but he shook his head. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm talking about you. _liking_. him." Skye held up the sketchbook and his face reddened further.

"Oh, that? I… You'll all end up in there eventually if we know each other long enough." He attempted to shrug it off, but she wasn't having it.

"Sure, only we're not yet and he already is. And you only met him once, but these sketches are scary good," she pointed out.

"Look, I… I don't know if that's what this is," Steve said with a sigh. He stood up from the stool and started studying the painting from different angles. "I like him. He's cool. But I don't know if it's _that_. So you really don't have to worry."

Skye's eyebrows shot up and she carefully closed the sketchbook. "Why would I worry?"

Steve's brow furrowed and he looked at her with a cocked head and his blue eyes more piercing than usual. "Don't you like him? I got the impression that you and him are… Maybe a thing or want to be," he said.

Skye couldn't hold back the bark of laughter at the conclusion he'd drawn. "No, definitely not. At least, not on my end. If he's not like my brother then he's at least like my cousin. I've known him forever. I've never once thought about him that way. And… I'm fairly certain he's never thought of me that way. I'm not sure he's thought of anyone that way. He's never dated anyone that I know of. I think there might have been this Riley boy he was interested in a few years ago, but he was a military brat and moved."

"It's finished. Just needs to dry," Steve said casually, but then looked at her uncertainly. "So, really? You just seemed close."

She shrugged as she got up and came over to look at the finished product. "We are. He's chill. We just get along. Doesn’t mean I want to date him. And I hope he doesn't want to date me, honestly. Because I don't think I could deal with that." She looked at the painting then and her eyes widened. "This is amazing."

"I'm glad you like it," Steve said as he put away his supplies.

"I do. The daisy is a nice touch."

"That's what Sam thought."

Skye smirked crookedly. "Maybe you should paint Sam next," she nudged him and he turned red again. That was enough to convince her that _that_ was exactly what this was.

 

* * *

 

"Say cheese," Steve said with a wide smile of his own as he held up his new Starkphone to take a picture of Jemma and Leo.

"Cheese!" they exclaimed in unison and he snapped the photo. "Let's see!" Jemma cheered and Steve showed it to them.

"Send it to me," Betty urged with a smile and he nodded. She then ushered the two kids away and he was left alone to navigate the party again.

It wasn't that he wasn't having fun. He really was. It was just that it was a lot of extravagance at once to adjust to. The Stark mansion had been mind blowing enough. Getting free Starkphones and Starkpads? That was super cool. The birthday gift from the Starks was one of the best he'd gotten and he knew it made his dad happy that he could finally have some more professional-grade art supplies.

But a party on a decked out yacht with the invitation extended to his best friend without so much as batting an eye?

He was starting to understand those characters in movies and books that got so overwhelmed by being thrust into high society or the spotlight that they wished for things to go back to being simple. Before he'd thought they were ungrateful. Now he understood it could throw anyone for a loop if they weren't born into it.

"Hello, my boy." Steve's thoughts were interrupted by a friendly and somewhat familiar voice. He turned to see Dr. Erskine, whom his dad had invited no doubt. "It has been a very long time."

Steve smiled and held out his hand to shake the aging gentleman's. "It has. I was… six? …seven? …the last time I got a check-up I think."

"And look at you now," Dr. Erskine said proudly as he gestured to him. "Am I a miracle worker or am I a miracle worker?"

"You are." Steve nodded. He only vaguely remembered being a sickly child, and he knew there was a time he couldn't recall when he was even more sickly, but he knew it was because of Dr. Erskine's medical care that he wasn't sickly today.

"Ah, but it is not all my doing," the elderly man recanted. "It was also your father's dedication to seeing you get better." Steve smiled fondly. He wouldn't contest that point. "But it was also you."

"Me?" Steve furrowed his brow.

"You're a fighter. I could tell right away when I delivered you that you were special. I'm proud that you were my first patient," he said in reference to his patented breakthrough drug. "It doesn't work for everyone. I wish it could, but I'm glad it worked for you."

Steve nodded somberly. "I'll try not to waste the opportunity you've given me, Dr. Erskine."

It was why, in spite of how strange everything had become in the past two months, or those times he wished things could go back to the way they were, he would support his dad and adapt. He would return the care that his dad and Dr. Erskine had given him.

"I have no worries about that, my boy. I'm certain you won't. Happy birthday," he said with a warm smile and a pat on his back before moving on. Steve watched him go before turning to look back at the water with a small sigh. He hoped Dr. Erskine was right.

"Hey, birthday punk." Steve's thoughts were interrupted again, this time by Bucky. "Don't tell me you're here moping by yourself when you're literally having a birthday on a yacht. Come on, man."

Steve laughed and shook his head. "Technically it's not just my birthday we're celebrating." He pointed at his friend. "There's also Skye."

"Yeah, so?" Bucky said with a broad shrug. "I'm pretty sure the yacht is big enough for you both. And all I'm hearing is double the party. Seriously, Steve. What's up?"

"Nothing…" He started, but Bucky looked at him dubiously. "It's just… Don't you think all of this is a lot just for a birthday? Even if it's technically two birthdays?"

"Oh don't tell me you're going to do the poor snob thing," Bucky said with a small grimace. "Because I will gladly volunteer to play prince and the pauper with you and take your place."

"Very funny, Buck. One, my family isn't poor. We get by fine enough. We're better off than a lot of people. Two, it's just a major adjustment. Is that a crime?"

"No, it's not." Bucky's face softened. "Look, you know I'm just giving you a hard time. And you know I'm going to miss your sorry ass when you move. But that's the thing, Steve. You're moving soon so you and I should be partying hard together while we can."

"Right, right," he started sarcastically, but then sighed. "Yeah, I know you're right," Steve said in concession. "I think Clint said he brought their laser tag so how about we go see if the others are interested in that?"

"Sounds great. I'll go get Natasha. Kind of left her to get her a drink," Bucky said with a guilty wince before hurrying off. Steve snorted softly and shook his head before going to find the others.

"Hey, almost birthday twin," Skye said snappily when he nearly ran into her below deck.

"Hey," he said with a nod of his head. "Was just looking for you. Or well somebody. Bucky and I were talking about the laser tag."

"Yeah!" Skye exclaimed in agreement to the idea. "Yeah, we should get a game going. I just left Clint with Thor and Loki. I'll go round them up and the equipment and meet you above deck in like five?"

"Sounds good," he said with a nod. "I'll go tell Bucky and Natasha."

"Okay. Oh and if you see Sam, let him know too," she said with a wink.

"Alright, Skye," he said with an exasperated huff as he went back in the direction he'd came in order to find his friend and sister and maybe Sam.

He didn't find Sam, but he did find Bucky and Natasha making out against the railing. He rolled his eyes. He'd literally _only_ just left his friend and already he'd been distracted? It was infuriating and he knew he was being ridiculous about it which only made it more infuriating.

"My dad calls it two seals fighting over a grape," Sam said, startling him.

Steve turned to see the boy standing beside him where he hadn't been before. He then looked back at Bucky and Natasha, feeling a little flustered that he'd been caught watching them, before turning around completely.

"Uh, yeah. It's, it's a little weird."

"I can imagine," Sam said with a snort and shake of his head. "I mean your best friend and your little sister? It would be like if I started dating Skye." Sam visibly shuddered and Steve cocked his head studiously even as his stomach flipped.

"Oh, uh, yeah? Yeah, I guess that would be weird. Unless you really liked her," he said it as casually as he could manage.

"True. Not that I do, but I get the point," Sam said, finally turning as well. "I mean your friend and sister seem happy together," he offered.

Steve looked back over his shoulder and shrugged. "I guess they are. Must be nice," he finally admitted.

"Maybe, maybe not," Sam said and Steve looked at him curiously. "They're going to be split up here soon. That's not so nice. And your friend, well, he's losing you _and_ his girlfriend in one go," Sam pointed out. "That's pretty harsh."

Steve scrunched his face as he considered it. "You know, I've never really thought about it that way before. Honestly, I've been a little miffed at how things haven't been quite the same between us—"

"The jealous bro thing?" Sam asked in amusement.

Steve smiled in spite of the fact it was a pathetic admission of his character. "Yeah, pretty much. But I didn't think about how things are definitely not going to be the same for him soon. I must be a horrible friend." Steve shook his head.

"I don't know if I'd say horrible," Sam countered. "Selfish maybe," he said with a smirk.

"Thanks," Steve replied.

"Nah, it's normal. No need to beat yourself up about it." Sam paused. "I'm sure you're a great friend. I mean, this is our second weekend hanging out and I'm already very sure you're a great guy." Steve's brow rose at that. "You know, uh, to be friends with. I mean, sure, in general too. Of course I meant in general. And I mean, what does your friend got that you haven't got, huh? Uh, not… Wow, not that I meant that in regards to your sister." Sam shook his head quickly, eyes slightly wide as if begging for someone to come along and shut his mouth for him. Steve knew that feeling all too well.

Steve ignored the way his palms grew clammy and placed one hand on Sam's shoulder reassuringly. "I get what you mean and thank you."

"Good, that's good," Sam said in obvious relief before meeting his gaze. "I—"

"Hey!" Skye yelled and they both looked up at the same time to see her standing on the main deck, leaning over the railing. "Are you guys going to come play or not?"

Steve and Sam looked at each other and Steve quickly removed his hand. "Laser tag," he explained.

"Hell yeah, I wanna play," Sam responded enthusiastically and his smile was infectious. He then turned and looked at Bucky and Natasha. "Hey, seals. If you're ready to come up for air, laser tag on the main deck."

Steve couldn't fight the smile that threatened to split open his own face.

 

* * *

 

The fireworks lit up the night sky and reflected in the water in brilliant colors, but the sap in Tony thought they look best reflected in Bruce's eyes as they stood with arms entwined around each other while they watched. There was music blasting in accompaniment around the yacht and plenty of 'oohs' and 'ahhs' especially from Jemma and Leo, but he and Bruce were lost in quiet conversation that juxtaposed with the soundtrack around them.

"I think Steve really enjoyed himself," Bruce said. "Thank you. I've been a little worried about him lately."

"I hope he did," Tony said. "He deserves it I'm sure. And it seems like the kids were getting along even better this time than last. I think there were even exchanged phone numbers," he said with a soft laugh.

Bruce didn't reply and the silence stretched on between them for a few long moments.

"You okay?" He asked, suddenly nervous. A million different scenarios played through his mind, most of them horrible, as he wondered what about his statement could have made Bruce shut down. "Is it… too much? Are you breaking up with me?"

That startled Bruce from wherever inside his head he'd been and he turned and looked at him with wide eyes.

"Yes, it's too much," he said and Tony felt his heart rate pick up. " _You're_ too much. God, I probably sound so juvenile. But I've never felt this before," he said with a sigh and Tony felt the fear in his stomach start to uncoil a little as it became clear he'd misread the silence. "I keep thinking about the next month and I hate it. I hate thinking about the distance. I know it's only temporary and there are couples and families that have it worse. I was thinking about how Sam must feel being separated from his father all the time and telling myself I'm being ridiculous. I… I _feel_ ridiculous. It's just a month."

"Is it just a month?" Tony asked suddenly, feeling his chest grow warm with a deeper emotion he'd long forgotten in this context. "Because I think… I think maybe it's not about the time so much as it's about what's really happening here."

"That's crazy, Tony," Bruce countered, obviously guessing his meaning. "Sure, everything about this relationship has been crazy so far, but that… We can't really…" He sighed and shook his head. He kept it down as he said, "But it's no use. I keep telling myself it can't be that already, but it doesn't change it." Bruce looked up then and met Tony's eyes. "You might just be one of the best things to ever happen to me and it scares me a little. It scares me how much I already hate the idea of being away from you. This," he gestured all around, "this is too perfect. And other than my kids, good things don't last for me. I start to settle down and then the rug is pulled out from under my feet. The military job, Culver…" He sighed. "And it hurts my kids in the process. _That_ scares me."

"There's no rug this time, Bruce," Tony said gently and gave him a soft smile. "And it's not just you. I mean, I couldn't even go two weeks without needing to see you," he reminded him. "I don't know how the hell I'm going to handle a month. If there's anything I've learned about you it's that you have way more fortitude than I do."

Tony sighed and looked back at the fireworks. Bruce followed suit and there was silence between them for several minutes as if they didn't know where to go from there, or maybe they did know and like Bruce had said they were both scared. Tony didn't want there to be a rug, but it was always a possibility.

Suddenly Jemma went running past them excitedly, Leo on her heels, and Tony watched them scurry toward another spot on deck to watch from. He saw Bruce's smile as he watched his daughter and he felt his chest tighten. Tony then looked around the deck and finally paid attention to the sights and sounds of their children all around, at least the ones on the same deck. He saw Peter taking photos with his Starkpad. He saw that someone, likely Skye he thought with a chuckle, had apparently started a group of them dancing to the pop anthem playing in accompaniment to the fireworks rather than watching the fireworks themselves. He saw Natasha sitting curled up against her boyfriend on one of the deck lounges.

As he took it all in and then looked back at Bruce to see him watching the fireworks again with a content smile on his face Tony realized with sudden clarity that all of his pain had led to this moment of overwhelming happiness and it felt like just the beginning. Damn the rug, he decided.

"I’m falling in love," he breathed out and Bruce looked at him suddenly, questioningly. "With this," Tony elaborated, nodding gently to the scene behind him. Bruce followed his gaze and Tony saw the clarity settle in his eyes as well. "I'm falling in love with this, Bruce. I'm… I'm falling in love with you. Maybe I already am. But I don't want this to end."

Bruce's eyes lit up on their own without any need for the fireworks in the sky above them and he smiled. "I don't want it to end either," he said in a vulnerable whisper.

When their lips met Tony knew there would have been fireworks no matter what day it was.


	12. The Distance

`**Tony 7:34 p.m.**`  
` Japan is great. Wish you were here.`

` **Bruce 7:40 p.m.**`  
` I wish I was there too. I can't read another term paper and the kids have barely made a dent in their packing.`

` **Tony 7:42 p.m.**`  
` My kids have probably set Happy on fire. Pretty sure he texted Pepper begging her to come home a day earlier than she planned. Probably should have left them with a nanny for a few days instead.`

` **Bruce 7:45 p.m.**`  
` Hmm. Yeah, I do think Steve mentioned Sam saying something about setting him on fire when he texted last. Or was it that they'd decided to re-enact Survivor…`

` **Tony 7:49 p.m.**`  
` Ha well we know now that our kids combined would be scarily good at re-enacting Survivor. They're ruthless.`

 

* * *

 

At the moment Bruce had to admit that having a Starkphone was nice simply for the video call feature.

His last phone had the ability of course, budget phones had come a long way over the years, but it just wasn't reliable enough and the way the holographic screen option worked in tandem with the Starkphone put other phones to shame. Beyond the convenience and luxury of the Starkphone was also the fact that every time he used it, Bruce couldn't help but think of how it was a testament of just how brilliant Tony was.

Thanks to the video call feature, he could smile at the sight of Tony settled on his hotel bed in Japan even while he was still in the middle of his morning break between classes at Culver.

"Your kids called me last night," Bruce said.

Tony startled a little at that. "What? Is everything okay?"

"I think so. Except apparently Happy has hijacked the theater room for a _Downton Abbey_ marathon?" He gave Tony a broad shouldered shrug and Tony eased into a laugh. "They were so desperate they asked if they could come here to our place. You might want to send Pepper back early. They might _actually_ set him on fire."

Tony chuckled again, but Bruce could see that he was tired since it was after one in the morning where he was and he knew from Tony's texts that the meetings had been long and rigorous so far.

"I love that my kids are calling you on their own," Tony said with a lazy smile. "No matter the reason."

Bruce hummed. "Me too. It's nice. I also love being able to talk to you like this," he started, "but you look exhausted. You should sleep."

Tony nodded. "I can now," he said with another smile.

 

* * *

 

` **Bruce 9:16 p.m.**`  
` I have it on good authority from Jane that your kids are happy that Aunt Pepper has come to save them.`

` **Tony 9:28 p.m.**`  
` I'll bet. And I'm glad Aunt Pepper isn't here to nag me through the last two days of this business trip. She catches me playing Crossy Road on my phone during a meeting one time and suddenly I'm her least favorite person in the world.`

` **Bruce 9:32 p.m.**`  
` Crossy Road????`

` **Tony 9:35 p.m.**`  
` You don't know what Crossy Road is?! Install it. Install it now. Do it.`

` **Bruce 11:48 p.m.**`  
` I hate you.`

` **Tony 11:51 p.m.**`  
` I think you misspelled love.`

` **Bruce 11:53 p.m.**`  
` Autocorrect?`

` **Tony 11:55 p.m.**`  
` Sure...`

 

* * *

 

` **Bruce 7:07 a.m.**`  
` What's a four letter word that means to regret absence?`

` **Tony 7:10 a.m.**`  
` Tony?`

` **Bruce 7:12 a.m.**`  
` That actually fits…`

` **Tony 7:13 a.m.**`  
` I miss you too.`

 

* * *

 

 **From:** Public Relations, Stark Industries

 **To:** Tony Stark, CEO Stark Industries

 **CC:** Dr. R. Bruce Banner, R &D Stark Industries

 **Subject:** Questions Pertaining to Relationship with Dr. Banner

Mr. Stark

Appropriate questions regarding Dr. Banner have been narrowed to the following for your perusal and approval.

  1.        What is the nature of your relationship with Dr. Banner?
  2.        How long have you known Dr. Banner?
  3.        Is there any truth to the rumors that Dr. Banner is in your employment?
  4.        What do your kids think of Dr. Banner?
  5.        Does Dr. Banner really have seven kids? Is his situation like yours?
  6.        How are you handling that? How are your kids handling that?
  7.        Dr. Banner is a very intelligent scientist and rumor is you met him at a science conference not unlike your late wife Dr. Hansen. Is there any implication there?



 

* * *

 

 **From:** Dr. R. Bruce Banner, R &D Stark Industries

 **To:** Public Relations, Stark Industries

 **CC:** Tony Stark, CEO Stark Industries

 **Subject:** RE:Questions Pertaining to Relationship with Dr. Banner

  1.        What is the nature of your relationship with Dr. Banner?



If Tony is ready to announce it or it seems like the right time for PR purposes then I'm okay with an official statement.

  1.        How long have you known Dr. Banner?



Giving a definitive answer will confirm the conference rumor that has already been circling so that is entirely up to Tony's comfort with that subject.

  1.        Is there any truth to the rumors that Dr. Banner is in your employment?



I think this should be off the table for now. It will be clear enough in time and my employment has nothing to do with the relationship outside of mine and Tony's shared interests in science and our support of one another's careers/fields. But if it helps to take the bull by the horn and address it, I will concede. It doesn't/shouldn't matter.

  1.        What do your kids think of Dr. Banner?



That's not really for Tony to say anything beyond something vague. They could secretly hate me for all we know.

  1.        Does Dr. Banner really have seven kids? Is his situation like yours?



If Tony does answer this I would like a pro-adoption slant. But no details. Just something simple like: "Yes, no, adoption." No need to get into the fact that two are surrogates at this point.

  1.        How are you handling that? How are your kids handling that?



Not really my place to say how Tony is handling it. Similarly it is his call on how to answer for his kids, but he can add vague response for my kids if it would be appropriate (e.g. the feeling is mutual, it's an adjustment, etc.)

  1.        Dr. Banner is a very intelligent scientist and rumor is you met him at a science conference not unlike your late wife Dr. Hansen. Is there any implication there?



This reads like an attempt to fish out whether or not the science conference rumor is true so it would depend on Tony's previous answer to that question. It is Tony's call on how he answers the entire question; I cannot speak for him on this one. For the record, I don't mind the implications (e.g. Tony has a type) unless those implications are that his feelings for me are a facsimile based solely on an idea that Dr. Banner = Dr. Hansen.

 

* * *

 

` **Tony 3:19 p.m.**`  
` I throw my hands up they're playing my song`

` **Bruce 3:21 p.m.**`  
` For a man who swears by the classics you certainly know a lot of modern pop lyrics.`

` **Tony 3:23 p.m.**`  
` oh well oh well I feel so good today we touched ground on an international runway`

` **Bruce 3:24 p.m.**`  
` I take it you're back in the USA?`

` **Tony 3:25 p.m.**`  
` Hence the party.`

` **Tony 3:28 p.m.**`  
` Yeah scratch that. Just got my updated itinerary. Not a party. Definitely not a party. Three factory visits got moved to before my press engagements. I was counting on a few days' rest.`

` **Bruce 3:30 p.m.**`  
` :( Where are you off to first?`

` **Tony 3:32 p.m.**`  
` West Virgina. ... Almost heaven.`

 

* * *

 

"It's days like this that make me wish I could trust myself with a hard drink," Tony finished his rant with a long sigh. The man on the other side of the screen was looking at him with a neutral expression, clearly listening to his first world CEO problems with supportive patience. Tony's previous scowl softened at the sight and he felt his lips quirk to one side in a crooked sort of half smile. "So how was your day, gorgeous?"

Bruce smiled thinly. "Well, nothing as dramatic as your day, but close. I went ahead and applied the kids to S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. Figured it couldn't hurt just in case. And most of the kids actually seem pretty enthusiastic about it so I'm not going to waste that chance," he explained. "Your kids' influence no doubt."

Tony smiled at the implications. "That's great. Hopefully that's a good sign."

"I think it is." Bruce nodded. "I didn't realize how intense the application process would be though," he then said with a thoughtful tilt of his head. "I mean the social and emotional development questions? That's a new one for me."

Tony gave a small laugh. "Yeah, the infamous placement test," he said knowingly. "But I guess that's what makes them one of the best. They really get that it's not a one size fits all formula. Wish I had that as a kid. Instead I was skipped up grades, sent to boarding school… more like boredom school… and then plopped in college at 15."

"No kidding," Bruce said with a shake of his head. "You can imagine the schools I went to didn't quite know how to handle me either."

"Yeah, I can imagine," Tony said ruefully. "But at least our kids don't have to suffer and that's what matters."

"Yeah, that's what matters." Bruce paused briefly. "Honestly though, I'm just glad to be a little closer to having the school situation figured out. Now there's just finding a place to live." He sighed. "Where's House Hunters when you need it?" Bruce chuckled tiredly.

Tony clicked his teeth together as he considered Bruce's struggle. "You know there's always a suite at Stark Tower if you need a temporary place," he thought aloud as it occurred to him.

"Maybe," Bruce hitched a shoulder, "but we have a lot of furniture… Okay, well, not a lot, but enough. I'd have to Pod it or something."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out," Tony reassured him. "And I'll help you when I'm finished with this massive headache," he offered genuinely.

Bruce smiled softly and gave a sigh. "I wish I could kiss you right now."

Tony looked longingly at him in return. "You don't know how much I'd like that."

 

* * *

 

Bruce and his kids gathered around the television for the early morning talk show that Tony was set to appear on. He had a few others that Bruce would miss live because of work, but he was glad Tony's first one fell early enough on the day he had later classes. He briefly mused about all of the times Tony had been on shows like this in the past, shows that he'd maybe even casually watched but never really paid attention one way or another to, aside from the fact he was Tony Stark and even in the past he had general academic respect for him.

"Our next guest is engineering and tech genius and owner of Stark Industries. He's made headlines countless times in his life and now he's doing it again. Ladies and gentlemen, Tony Stark."

Tony walked out on the stage, smiling and waving as the audience applauded, and moved to sit down in the designated interviewee seat.

"Dad, you're practically drooling," Loki said and Bruce blinked several times before realizing he _had_ been staring rather intently.

"Sorry," he said, though not truly apologetic. His lips then quirked upward and he added, "He just looks really good in that outfit."

"It's too early for this," Natasha mumbled and a few of his other kids nodded in agreement.

They watched and listened as Tony discussed the business mogul side of his persona. He talked about recent successes in the company and future plans for Stark Industries. He made plugs about the subsidiary company he had just visited in Japan as well as a wider roll out on the company's Smart House designs for the more general public.

"Alright, after the break, we'll be talking with Tony about recent headlines regarding his surprise romance with Dr. Banner."

Tony smiled as the camera zoomed in on him and he winked before it then panned out again and cut to commercial.

"Did he just…?" Steve looked around incredulously and then at him.

Before Bruce could answer, several phones went off with text alerts including his own. He looked down to see a text from Skye that read:

`That wink was totally for you!`

"Apparently," Steve said then as he read a text, "Tony tugs on his ear as a secret shout out to his kids."

"He did that at the beginning of the interview," Peter said and Bruce was inclined to believe him as he suspected Peter had eidetic memory.

"And he used to scratch at his jaw with his left hand as a gesture to Dr. Hansen when she wasn't with him," Thor added as he also read a text.

"So they think the wink was for you, dad," Natasha finished.

Bruce couldn't help the small smile that touched his lips. He knew Tony would confirm it later, but until then the sentiment made his heart stutter in the best kind of way.

"We're back with Tony Stark who has recently been making waves with the press. Now, Tony, it's been seven years since you lost your wife, the very lovely and brilliant Dr. Hansen."

"It has," Tony said with a sober nod and a passing shadow fell across his face.

"We know from past interviews that you said you were open to trying to meet someone again, but nobody expected your out of the blue relationship with Dr. Banner. And you've been seen with him multiple times over the past couple of months. We have to wonder what the nature of your relationship with Dr. Banner is and where you've been keeping him. Have you just been keeping your relationship under the radar, which we can't blame you if you have," the host interjected with a laugh, "or is this a recent fling?"

"Well, first things, it's definitely not a fling. So that hopefully clears up the question of the nature of our relationship," he said with a laugh. "I'm very serious about Dr. Banner." Bruce smiled at Tony's conviction. "But it hasn't been a long romance. I met Dr. Banner at the beginning of May."

"So the rumors of your having met him at the science conference in Germany are in fact true?"

"They are," Tony answered to the point.

"Not that I'm sure our audience here has any doubts," the interviewer hedged, "but there have been nasty rumors regarding the similarities between your late wife and Dr. Banner."

"Similarities?" Tony asked and Bruce wondered at his coyness. "I mean there's the dark hair and dark eyes so maybe I have a type," he said breezily, finishing it with a laugh.

The host and audience laughed as well. "Yes, well there's also the uncanny coincidence that Dr. Banner is regarded as a very intelligent scientist and you met him at a science conference, not unlike Dr. Hansen. Some are wondering if there's any implication there."

Bruce felt his kids' eyes on him, but he kept his own fixed on the television. He could see the way Tony's own eyes had become sharper, clearly bristling over the accusation.

"I think the implication is clear," Tony said evenly. "A lot of people can perhaps capture my attention, but it takes something truly special to hold it. Maya had that and so does Dr. Banner. My feelings for Dr. Banner are genuine and while my late wife may be the, uh, the sort of example I guess you could call it for gauging those feelings and figuring them out, not once did it cross my mind that Dr. Banner was a Dr. Hansen 2.0. I believe that kind of implication is a discredit to both Dr. Banner and my wife's memory. They're not the same person in spite of some perceived similarities."

"Well, that answers that," the host said, seeming put in place. "Now what about your kids? It's no secret that you have six kids and are a single parent, even if a very rich one." The audience laughed at the dry humor. "But do you find that makes this relationship a challenge, or any attempt at finding someone for that matter? What do your kids think of Dr. Banner?"

Tony visibly relaxed. "I guess you would have to interview my kids individually to get the real answer, but as far as they've indicated they seem to be getting along well so far with Dr. Banner. It was obviously an adjustment since they certainly didn't expect their dad to come home from the conference having met somebody." He paused before continuing again. "And I wouldn't say challenge because my kids aren't baggage, which is probably why past attempts haven't gone anywhere. It just adds an interesting layer to the relationship development. What makes Dr. Banner different is that before we even started seeing each other his hesitance wasn't for his sake like some of my past attempts, but rather because of his concern for my kids. If you're wondering about what makes Dr. Banner special, what really attracts me to him, that's definitely on the list." Bruce smiled wide at that reminder and braced himself for what was likely coming next.

"And his concerns for his own kids?" The interviewer asked.

"Yes, Dr. Banner is a father," Tony answered vaguely.

"But not just any father as he's reported to have seven kids of his own."

"Which adds another interesting layer to our relationship development," Tony said in a clipped tone before deflecting with humor. "We may even be able to write a book about it someday. _Cheaper By The Baker's Dozen_." The audience laughed.

"So have the kids met? How are your kids handling that? How are you and Dr. Banner handling that layer you mentioned?"

Tony smiled. "I would say the same way anyone in a single parent – single parent relationship does. The mechanics may be a little different since I'm, well, you know who I am. But the basics are the same. There's the apprehension, the 'oh god what if his kids hate me' and the 'what do you do if the kids don't get along' aspects. It's a little chaotic and unconventional given the sheer amount of kids between us, but we're making it work so far and there's really not much more that needs to be said at the moment."

There had been knots in his stomach caused by his initial uncertainty regarding this new element of their relationship, being talked about publicly, but Bruce felt them ease as the host wrapped up the interview. Tony had promised he knew how to handle the press and he had proven it and hadn't said anything that had made him feel uncomfortable. However, he still had to make sure the same was true for his kids.

"Were you okay with his answers?" Bruce asked. "The ones pertaining to you, I mean."

Nobody answered right away, but he waited patiently.

Finally Thor said, "I believe he answered nobly."

"Nobly?" Steve asked with a raise eyebrow.

"Yes, nobly," Thor defended his word choice. "It's clear he goes to great lengths to shield his own children from rude questions and insinuations and now he's extended that to us as well. I may be better at sports than most things, but my English is nearly as good as Loki's," he then pointed out, sounding even more defensive as Steve raised his hands in surrender.

"As much as it pains me to admit," Loki muttered.

"None of that please," Bruce admonished as he stood to his feet. "Just wanted to make certain everyone is okay with how the interview went. You can watch the others without me to get a better handle on it though if you'd like. But dad has to get ready for—"

The doorbell rang, cutting off that statement. He furrowed his brow and went to answer it. Upon opening it, he saw that it was a delivery man.

"Special delivery for Bruce Banner," the man said and held out a clipboard. "I need you to sign here." Bruce did and wondered at the large box marked fragile. "Have a wonderful day, Dr. Banner," the man then said with a conspiratorial smile and Bruce blinked a few times before realizing the only person who could be behind the package was Tony.

He brought it into the house and took it over to the empty table. He carefully opened it, unprepared for the sight that awaited him. His breath caught in surprise as his kids clamored around to see what was in the box.

"What is it?" Jemma quizzed as he pulled out the envelope he saw tucked between two boxes of Japanese teas.

"It's an authentic Japanese tea set from the looks of it," Bruce answered as neutrally as he could while quickly unfolding the letter that was in the envelope.

_Bruce,_

_I hope my timing is right and this arrives some time after or during my first round of interviews. I wanted to give this to you in person on our next date, but after being blindsided by that question about Maya, I couldn't wait. Yes, some of your similarities have now been brought to my attention so I can't deny there might be something to it, but I need you to know that I care about you for you and not because of any basic similarities you might share with Maya. When I get on that talk show and say you're special, I mean it. There are hundreds of little nuances about you that I've learned so far. Things that set you apart. Like your affinity for crossword puzzles or your obsession with tea. I saw a tea set similar to this during one of the meetings and you are who I thought of. Nobody else. I really just wanted to clear matters up in case you had any doubts. _

_Tony_

"It's so pretty," Jane said, gently holding one of the cups.

"It is," Bruce said. His voice sounded odd given his bombardment of one very strong and definite emotion, but none of them commented on it.

He quickly pulled up his messages and texted Tony what he should have realized sooner wasn't so scary a thing after all. Because now, no matter how crazy it seemed and how quickly it had all swept him away, it seemed only natural.

`What's a three word phrase with an I, L and Y?`

By time he was finished getting ready for work, he had a response from Tony.

`01001001 00100000 01101100 01101111 01110110 01100101 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101 00100000 01110100 01101111 01101111`

Bruce smiled at the message, a proficiency in binary being one of the many little nuances about Tony that he had learned and found endearing. Bruce had brushed up on his own binary when Tony had started texting him at random with it so he knew it well enough by now to know it said:

`I love you too.`

 

* * *

 

"Final grades are posted and I'm officially moved out of my office," Bruce said with a sigh before taking a sip of his tea.

"Relieved?" Tony asked, watching him with a soft smile. He knew Bruce was sitting on his porch based on his surroundings.

"In a bittersweet sort of way," Bruce answered. "I can't complain when it comes to my new prospects," he said with a knowing smile. "But this was really one of the only places that had come to feel like home. I've liked my work well enough. Jemma, Peter and Natasha came into my life here. I'll miss Betty and Leonard. It was always going to be bittersweet, but I never really let it sink in until today."

"I understand. I mean, in theory," Tony recanted when he realized he didn't have an abundance of firsthand knowledge. "Then again, maybe this is why I've never been nostalgic. Sentimental, sure, but nostalgia has never been my fallback because there wasn't much in my childhood to be nostalgic about. And my working life has been fairly steady. Most of my nostalgia now is in terms of my kids and when they were younger. Stuff like that."

"Don't get me wrong," Bruce interjected, "I'm okay it's over because now I can focus on other things that I care about more than my job here."

Tony smiled wide at that, but then it fell. "Yeah, about your visit… That's kind of why I called."

"Something wrong?" Bruce immediately became alert and furrowed his brow.

"No… Well, yes and no," Tony said with a sigh. "I’m going to be a few days longer than I had wanted to be. There's a strike at this plant and I'm trying to diffuse it."

"That's awful," Bruce said, mouth turning down. "I thought Stark Industries strives for quality work conditions," he said in confusion.

"We do," Tony insisted. "That's why I'm not sure what's going on here. Possibly a higher up not upholding that standard. I don't know. But uh…" Tony started, but hesitated.

"What?" Bruce urged.

"So, here's the thing. Pepper's flying out in a couple days along with the Chairman of the Board of Trustees and someone from legal for negotiations. And Happy's flying out to head up the investigation and because he gets it into his head that we need his protection in these kinds of hostile situations. Not really, but I humor him." Tony knew he was rambling rather than reaching a point.

"Okay, what about your kids?" Bruce asked before he could get to his final point.

"Your powers of observation are breathtaking," he deflected with humor for a moment. "Yeah, so that's what I was attempting to get to. You were going to come to New York this weekend anyway. Do you think… Do you think you could maybe come earlier? Tomorrow or the day after before Pep and Happy leave?" Tony paused and took a deep breath. "I'm essentially asking if you can watch my kids for me. I know it's a lot to ask and I can get one of the nannies I have on call for these kinds of emergencies if it's a problem. But I just thought maybe—"

"It's not a problem, Tony," Bruce interrupted him. "I'm sure I can handle taking care of your kids for a few days by myself."

"No, I know you _can_ , I just didn't know if you'd want to," Tony tried to explain.

"It should be fine."

There was a slight lull in the conversation before Tony said, "Okay, great. Thank you. You can always drag them with you to go house hunting until I get back," Tony suggested. "And I'll instruct the drivers to accommodate you with that or any other errands. The older kids can stay by themselves at times obviously. It's just Pietro still has a week of summer school left and I'd like them not to be unsupervised for more than two days, you know?"

"What a horrible parent you are," Bruce deadpanned and Tony gave a soft bark of laughter. "How long do you think you'll be? Do I need to be concerned about Harley's birthday?"

Tony smiled at Bruce's mental processes when it came to his kids. "Uh, no. Don't think so. I don't expect it to go that much further over schedule. I should be back in time for his party and for our anniversary," he added. The following Thursday would be the three month mark from the day they met at the conference. They had decided to count that as their anniversary instead of their first official date.

"Well then I better let the kids know and finish packing. Are your kids going to be okay with that?" Bruce asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Bruce, they begged you to save them from _Happy_. They like Happy," Tony pointed out. "I'm pretty certain they would prefer you to a nanny." He shook his head a little at Bruce's uncertainty.

Bruce huffed out a small laugh. "Fair enough. Any other house rules I need to be aware of? Curfews? Bed times? Dinner?"

Tony bit his lip and considered it. "Summer curfew for Clint and Sam is 10:30, but they're rarely out that late. Skye's was just upped to 10. Uh, bed times… I struggled a lot with insomnia as a kid… Still do actually, so I'm a little flexible in the summer or when I see the signs of it. The general rule of thumb during summer is the kids who are under thirteen have to be in their rooms no later than 11 unless it's a special reason, like something happens or their insomnia is a problem. You can exercise judgment there and they'll probably tell you since that's the rule of the house. Um, the three older ones typically crash around 1 in the summer, but the rule for all the kids is no tech after midnight. JARVIS should alert you if it's a problem. This includes movies and television. The older kids can hit the gym or the court or things like that, but no tech. Dinner you can do what you like. You already know my preference for table time." Tony let out a deep breath as he finished his dithyramb of details. "JARVIS can help you with most questions and if he doesn't know you can always contact me. I'll tell the kids to let you know their schedules for their activities so you can plan around those. And, god, I'm so sorry for pushing all of this on you by yourself."

Bruce actually laughed and shook his head. "I'm pretty good at scheduling," he said. "You might be surprised how much it pays to be efficient when you have one main bathroom shared between seven kids and bus stop times that have to be met."

"Have I told you I'm in awe of you lately, because I am in awe," Tony replied with a smile. "Oh and… In case you were wondering about sleeping arrangements, don't bother with a guest room. You can take mine if you want."

Bruce smiled. "Hmm," he gave a soft sigh, "yeah. I think I can handle that."

 

* * *

 

"What do you mean?" Bruce spoke heatedly into his phone in the other room of the house they were looking at. "This is ridiculous. You know perfectly well that the lease I signed had a clause for unexpected termination at my job. You've known for six months that I would be moving."

Thor frowned as he listened near the door. They had come for a showing of a home only for their real estate broker to bring up to their father a problem regarding their current home. Thor wasn't sure of the details, but whatever it was his father was on the verge of showing his closely guarded temper.

"Who wants to bet this landlord is trying to take advantage of Dr. Banner because of the press and being associated with a billionaire now," Clint said to those of them that had come and were now gathered around awkwardly.

Wanda groaned. "Probably."

Thor looked at the other boy in slight disbelief. "You think he would do that?" Sometimes people told him he was naïve, but he couldn't see how someone would take that chance if it was illegal.

"Yeah," Clint said with a nod.

"What about the legalities?" Natasha voiced Thor's own question.

"Doesn't matter," Wanda said with a shrug. "They probably assume your father will just fold. People like our father can just throw money at the problem and not think twice about it because it doesn't make a dent. Dad calls it picking battles."

Jemma tugged on Thor's shirt and he looked down at her. "Is daddy going to lose his temper like that one time he yelled at Uncle Leonard for getting drunk and trying to—"

"Jemma!" Jane shrieked. Jemma startled and Clint, Wanda and Darcy looked at them questioningly.

"Is everything okay?" Bruce was suddenly peeking into the room, hand covering the mouth of the phone and looking at them in concern.

"I'm sorry, dad," Jane said, head down as she did. "Jemma started to say something and I… Sorry."

"As long as you're okay," Bruce said with obvious relief and then left again, his tone softer now.

Thor shook his head. On the bright side it was clear Jane's outburst had distracted their father long enough for him to regain his sense of calm, but the Starks that had tagged along were still looking at them curiously.

He sighed and said, "Our father used to struggle with anger issues when he was our age. Sometimes if he gets good and angry, he is not quite himself. He's never been a danger to us, but he hates that about himself and he is always very remorseful whenever he loses his temper in the slightest."

"Jeez," Clint hissed. "Everybody gets angry sometimes. Especially if someone else is instigating the problem."

Natasha shrugged. "His past was bad enough that it's kind of a trigger for him now."

"I just didn't want Jemma to say something that might make you think less of him," Jane explained her outburst.

"Our dad isn't perfect," Wanda responded to that.

"Not at all," Darcy chimed in.

"I'm so sorry you had to overhear that," Bruce returned, interrupting their conversation. "I'm especially sorry to you three," he looked at the Stark children.

"It's okay, Dr. Banner," Clint replied. "Sounds like the guy's a real jerk."

"That's never an excuse for me to lose my temper." Bruce sighed and Thor thought he suddenly looked the weariest he'd seen him in months, since before Tony had come into their lives. "I don't know why it's suddenly an issue. He was never difficult like this before."

"You were never dating my dad before," Clint remarked briskly and Bruce furrowed his brow. "Trust me, Dr. Banner. That's exactly the issue here. It's just a hustle for an easy buck from my dad."

"I don't like the sound of that," Bruce said with a shake of his head. He then looked at his watch. "Okay, well this was a bust. We need to go pick up Pietro and then pick up Harley's cake. By the way, you guys really can call me Bruce if you want. Or anything else within reason. Dr. B is fine, but it doesn't have to be that."

"Can I call you Doc?" Clint asked with a wide smile. "I've always wanted to call somebody Doc."

His father laughed and Thor saw some of the previous weariness fade away.

"Sure, Marty," Bruce said.

 

* * *

 

Harley jostled the control a few times on the remote of his new remote control helicopter, courtesy of the Banners, and then sent it to hover over Clint's head, snickering as he looked around at the noise and then up. The older boy shook his head and made to grab it, but Harley moved it away before he could. He then looked around the outdoor party for his next victim.

"Imagine if you could reconfigure it to take pictures or video or something," Peter said as he came to stand beside him.

"Whoa, that would be cool!" Harley exclaimed in agreement. "I could probably do that. Think your dad would be mad?" He asked looking over at the younger boy.

Peter scrunched his face for a moment and then said, "Probably. Think _your_ dad would be mad?"

Harley grinned wide. "Absolutely! We should do it."

"You should go for Steve and Sam next," Peter said with a small snicker.

He pointed to where the two boys were sitting along the edge of the pool, legs dangling inside and laughing about something. Probably something boring that should be interrupted, Harley decided.

The helicopter swooped in stealthily from a further distance and then hovered behind them. Harley nearly choked on his laughter, as did Peter, when the two boys practically looked around in confusion in sync and then Sam actually startled at the unexpected object just enough to slip into the pool.

"Not funny, Harley!" Sam shouted when he reemerged from the pool, but Harley kept laughing.

"That goes for you too, Peter!" Steve shouted next as he grabbed a nearby towel and handed it to Sam when he pulled himself back up out of the pull.

"Harley. Peter." Bruce said their names in a warning tone from where he was grilling shish kabobs and Harley winced slightly. Dr. Banner was weirdly authoritative without even raising his voice.

He moved the helicopter away from the pool and over to a clearing before going to get it, Peter following him. He picked it up and looked it over.

"Sorry your dad's not here yet," Peter said at length.

Harley shrugged. "He said he'll be here so he will be. He hasn't missed the rest of the gifts or cake yet. He's got time." He was sure his dad would do anything to get there or would have at least not promised.

"Food's done," Bruce called.

Harley rushed over, but first depositing his helicopter and the remote in the small pile of gifts from Sam, his older siblings Clint and Skye, Pepper and Happy who had left them there before leaving to meet with his dad, and some from the board that he never really cared about and his dad insisted weren't necessary but that they felt obligated to give.

"This is so good," Harley said once they were all gathered in the various seats on the deck and eating. "You're a way better cook than dad is."

"Oh, he's not that bad," Bruce countered.

"Maybe not, but you _are_ better, Doc," Clint insisted.

"Your dad says you can cook," Bruce replied to that, but Clint only shrugged.

"What's with the modesty?" Sam looked at him dubiously and Harley followed suit. "Chicks dig that," he said. "Dudes too obviously. We all know guys dig that."

"Show of hands," Skye chirped, "who else here can cook so Clint doesn't feel like he's the lone wolf."

"I can a little," Steve said, raising his hand meekly.

"A little?" Natasha snorted. "You're the only one dad trusts to help you in the kitchen."

"Now _that_ is an exaggeration," Bruce countered.

"Have you ever noticed she does that a lot?" Steve said with playfully narrowed eyes at his sister.

Harley chuckled through a bite of food. He was starting to like having the Banners around. He liked having more people to hang out with. It was fun and energetic.

"So you cook?" Sam asked Steve and for some reason Skye rolled her eyes, but Harley didn't have time to contemplate it before there was an unexpected interruption of what sounded like a guitar strumming softly.

They all turned to see Tony standing there with an electric guitar in hand, Pepper and Happy standing off nearby. Harley's eyes widened and he smiled as he recognized the familiar refrain of the song that had somehow become the family's birthday song over the years.

" _If I had words to make a day for you, I'd sing you a morning golden and new_."

"Dad," Harley protested, cringing in slight amusement even if he liked the attention. Of course that only made his dad come closer to serenade him further.

" _I would make this day last for all time. Give you a night deep in moonshine_." He stopped playing then and said, "Hit it, JARVIS."

The outdoor speakers began blasting the original song.

"Happy birthday, little man," his dad said after a moment, holding out the guitar.

"Cool, a Green Gibson!" Harley exclaimed and hopped out of his seat to grab it. "Thanks, dad!"

 

* * *

 

Bruce wasn't sure his heart rate would ever come back down again, like his insides were being retched away from his body in torturous pleasure as he gasped for breath in shallow pants.

"No more," he practically groaned the words, his voice as spent as he was. "Mercy," he said with a huff of a laugh amidst his attempts to steady his breathing. "I think… I think we've more than made up for the time apart," he managed to say when Tony collapsed on top of him, also letting out a breathless laugh in agreement.

Bruce closed his eyes and ran his hands through Tony's hair as they lay there in silence, for however long he wasn't sure because he was so sated.

"Come on," Tony finally said and carefully propped himself back up to hover over him. Bruce wondered where he found the muscle power. "We're going to hate ourselves in the morning if we don't get clean after all that."

Bruce's eyes widened. "Tony," he said in disbelief, cupping the other man's face with both hands, "after all that, there's no way I can stand to take a shower."

Tony moved his face just slightly in his hands to kiss one of his palms. "Who said anything about a shower? After all that we're going to need a soak in the Jacuzzi tub."

Bruce was pretty tired, but he had to admit that sounded nice and his muscles would probably thank him for the extra effort in the morning. "Okay," he replied with a nod and followed Tony into the en suite. As soon as they were settled into the water, he was glad for Tony's genius. He could probably fall asleep right there if the small part left of his logical brain wasn't still smart enough to know that would be a bad idea.

"I'm so glad you're moving to New York soon," Tony said after some time spent in just silence. "And that you'll be working in the same building. This long distance crap is overrated."

"I know," Bruce said softly, voice still tired and now overcome by emotion. "But I can't… I don't want to talk about that right now."

"Hey, what's wrong?" Tony asked with real concern that pierced right through his avoidance of the topic.

"I went to look at a house yesterday," Bruce started very slowly, deliberating over every word. "Nice house. Good district if S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't work out. But the broker I've been working with alerted me that she got a notice that I had been reported as a bad tenant to the credit bureau and some bad tenant listing."

"What the hell?" Tony asked in disbelief.

"I know. I know. My landlord is accusing me of willfully and maliciously attempting to break my lease early without notice. Which is ridiculous because the lease has a clause for the extenuating circumstances I've found myself in and he's known about it since February," Bruce explained carefully, ending with a sigh.

"It's me," Tony said with conviction.

Bruce pursed his lips and looked around, not wanting to accept that but knowing it was likely. "That's what Clint said," he finally admitted.

"And he's right. This landlord is just trying to give you the squeeze to see if he can get something out of me. I'm sorry."

"You're sorry? It's not your fault, Tony. But… I'm stressed. I don't know what to do. Now that's going to be on my record and I can't move into another place until I clear it up and the guy is being a real dick about it, demanding rent he says I'm trying to cheat him out of. My broker said to report him and I will, but who knows how long that will take. And if he gets angry, he might try to just evict me to get out of it and if I haven't found a place before then…"

Bruce wasn’t sure when he'd started crying, but he had and Tony had him in a warm embrace in response. He knew it was because he was just a mess of emotions. There was the relief of being with Tony again after a month, there was the stress of moving and the landlord situation, and there was even the juxtaposition of his stress with the feelings of absolute bliss he was still lingering in causing his brain to short circuit probably.

"Hey, we'll figure it out. That guy's not going to get away with it. I can promise you that," Tony whispered into the still damp curls at his temple. "But you were right. No need to talk about it right now. Sorry I pushed."

Bruce didn't know how to respond to that, so he just let Tony continue to soothe him. He simply relished in the contact and the lack of distance between them, and in that moment he wasn't sure if he meant physical distance or emotional. He only knew it had been a long time since someone cared for him in this way and he hoped it wouldn't fall apart on him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Songs referenced in Tony's texts: Party In The U.S.A. (Miley Cyrus), Back in the U.S.A. (Chuck Berry), Country Roads (John Denver)  
> 2\. Birthday song used here is If I Had Words by Yvonne Keeley and Scott Fitzgerald. Yes, it's also the song they used in _Babe_ lol.  
>  3\. Tony being musically inclined is pretty much guilty pleasure because of RDJ. But it won't be entirely without purpose as a characterization choice.


	13. Leap of Faith

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> potential warning for Jemma sometimes wishing she could have a mother, but also trying to rationalize her belief that it's okay that her dad prefers men. It's not meant to be a "oh little girls need moms, etc." type deal rather a glimpse at developing psychology in a six year old (especially in a heteronorm world)

Tony took several deep breaths as he waited for Bruce to finish ordering his meal and the waiter to leave. He tapped a little on the glass of his sparkling water as well. He was in the middle of rethinking the resolution he'd spent the entire day talking himself into when the waiter left and Bruce eyed him curiously.

"Is there something you want to say?" Bruce asked, raising one eyebrow and taking a drink.

"Uh… Yes. And no. Well, yes. Mostly yes," Tony fumbled and then cleared his throat. "Yes."

When Bruce moved his drink away, his lips were turned up in amusement. "With a build up like that, I'm on the edge of my seat," he said dryly. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes!" Tony pointed at him enthusiastically. "Everything is super. Which is exactly a great starting point for what I want to say," he said and the space between Bruce's eyes creased slightly in that way that Tony found remarkably endearing. "Ok so I was thinking it's been a wonderful three months, right? Even with the distance."

"Right," Bruce answered, but he sounded unsure.

"Right. And everything about us has been unconventional," Tony continued.

Bruce licked his lips slowly as he narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "Possibly an understatement, but continue."

Tony nodded. "I took care of your landlord," he blurted, although it was a deflection away from his real point.

"Oh. You did?" Bruce looked and sounded torn between relieved and concerned. "Please tell me you didn't pay him without consulting me. I… I really didn't want you to throw money at this."

"I didn't," Tony promised. "I just sent someone from legal to sniff out the problem and see what the deal was. Turns out the landlord was also going to try and dish some stuff to the tabloids about you, including a bunch of made up crap about your being a bad tenant. Yeah, that doesn't fly where my legal team is concerned. The report you filed has been escalated to get you back in business and that bad tenant mark scrubbed. Also the landlord has been pressured to back down." He paused and clicked his teeth. "But PR and legal will be keeping an eye out for any libel this guy might have already spilled."

"Wow," Bruce said and actually looked stunned. "Thank you."

"Well, I figure the benefits of dating me should outweigh the consequences," Tony said with a small wave of his hand. "Or at least balance it out a little."

"Sorry I doubted you," Bruce said then with a smile.

Tony raised his eyebrows. "You doubted me?"

"A little. Throwing money at the problem does seem like the easier solution," Bruce pointed out, but Tony wasn't offended.

"And you'd be right about that. Any other case, I probably would have. But you're not any other case. And I knew that's not what you would want and, frankly, I didn't want the guy bullying my boyfriend and his family to get that kind of satisfaction," Tony said vehemently.

Bruce smiled again and looked down at where his hands were folded against the table, thumbs fiddling every now and then. "Your boyfriend thanks you. Incidentally, he also loves you."

Tony's previous anger at Bruce's landlord dissipated at that and an eager smile spread across his face before he finally blurted what he had really wanted to say.

"Which is why he should move in with me."

Bruce's head shot up and his eyes were comically large. "What was that?"

Tony took a deep breath and said more calmly, "I think you should forego the house hunt and move in with me."

"Tony," Bruce said his name very seriously and his lips twitched slightly in uncertainty, "that's a very big step. And it _has_ only been three months."

"I know. It's a crazy idea. Crazy like me," he jabbed at himself in humor. Bruce shook his head fondly. "And I don't want to pressure you into this. If you say no, done deal," Tony then added with a very serious look at the other man. "But I've been thinking. There's plenty of room in the place. A few of the kids would have to share since there are only twelve rooms outside the master, but we could let them figure that out between them. I'm sure a few of them wouldn't mind." He paused and took a drink as his throat was unusually dry. "And here's the thing. The offer doesn't even come with strings or a lease. I was thinking it makes sense on a trial basis or at least until you can have time to really find the house _you_ want and not just because of a time crunch."

The waiter returned then with their appetizer, forcing a break in the conversation. This lull went on for several moments as they began eating. Tony knew though that Bruce was thinking it over, considering the angles. There was this calculating look he got in his eyes whenever he was thinking long and hard about something. Sometimes he got that look when they discussed science; it was the look of a scientist and it looked particularly good on him. Then again, Tony could admit he was extremely biased and pretty much everything was a good look on him.

"The real crazy thing about it," Bruce began without segue way, "is I'm not even inherently adverse to the idea."

Tony had to admit he had expected Bruce to shut down the idea immediately. "Yeah?"

Bruce shrugged. "I'm beginning to think you're a bad influence on my impulse control," he said with a wry smile. But then he sighed. "It would take some of the pressure off. And you know I'd love to be that close to you, but… I'm also a little worried it might complicate things too quickly. Everything's been amazing and I don't want us to ruin that by rushing things. I'm just not sure."

Tony nodded. "Okay, what are some concerns you have? Specifically, I mean. Not just the rushing."

"The kids obviously," Bruce started between bites of food. "We couldn't take this kind of step without their being on board with it. It's one thing for them to get together sometimes, but another entirely for your kids to have to share their space indefinitely and my kids to move into other people's space."

"You're concerned about encroaching on boundaries?"

"A little. That goes for me too."

"You'd have the same reign as me, Bruce," Tony countered that point. "Just like when you watched the kids without me."

"Okay, in theory," Bruce only semi-conceded. "There's also Sam. I'm not his guardian. So you need to find a way to speak with your friend Rhodey about how he feels. He doesn't know me personally after all."

Tony had to agree. That _was_ one of his responsibilities as Sam's guardian. "I'll talk to him about it next time he calls. And he usually takes a week off around Labor Day before school starts so you can meet him then finally."

"We have a dog," Bruce reminded him.

"And we have a zoo," Tony responded to that with a laugh. "I like Hulk. It's not an issue." He waved a dismissive hand.

"There's also the matter of all of our things," Bruce pointed out next. "We can't just fill up your house with our stuff."

Tony frowned at him. "Okay, gorgeous, I love your glasses, but are they the right prescription?" Bruce looked at him in confusion. "Have you seen my house? It can take it. If your kids don't want the beds in the guest rooms, we'll just move them out and let them move theirs in. Hell, the kids want to go crazy and makeover their rooms, I'm good for it and I really don't mind spending money on them. My kids makeover theirs constantly, but I understand if you're not comfortable with that," he backtracked just in case. "The point is there's room. You haven't even seen the storage basement."

"There's another basement?" Bruce asked with a raised brow.

"Two actually. Uh, there's the storage basement with tons of stuff from my childhood and parents' stuff that I didn't want to get rid of. Some heirlooms." He shrugged. "Some of Maya's old things as well," he said a little more softly and Bruce reached across the table and gave his hand an understanding squeeze that he was grateful for. "And then there's all the junk I've collected over the years that doesn't fit anywhere or when I feel like rotating the furniture," he said with a laugh. Maya had sometimes gotten a little frustrated with his short attention span when it came to inanimate objects. "But, trust me, there's room down there for any potential overflow. If not, we'll make room."

Bruce sighed and pulled his hand away. "Again, I think you're a bad influence on my impulse control," he said after a moment, lips turning up ever so slightly at the edges.

"Is that a yes?"

"It's a maybe," Bruce said. "What's the other basement?" He then asked curiously.

"An underground bunker," Tony answered briskly and the unspoken 'oh' that formed on Bruce's lips told him that further explanation wasn't necessary. It was the subtle ways Bruce already seemed to understand him that made Tony think this crazy next step wasn't so crazy.

 

* * *

 

Sam wasn't sure what to think when Tony came into his room while he was talking to his dad. Usually he didn't interrupt unless he really needed to speak with him. That was a little concerning.

"Hey, Tone," his dad said first. "I hear you're mistreating my son."

"Oh yeah, totally," Tony replied easily. "Was thinking about building an attic or tower and forcing him to move into it. And, Sam, I thought I told you to get started on the chores," Tony said as he nudged him playfully.

"Okay, so what's really up, Tony?" his dad asked with a raised eyebrow and Sam looked at Tony in equal curiosity.

"Okay I promise I'm not interrupting this for relationship advice, but you know that guy I've been seeing?" Tony started and Sam was immediately more interested than he was before.

"Dr. Banner?" His dad looked back and forth between him and Tony. "Yeah, kind of hard to forget that little detail. Sam's told me all about him and his kids. Especially, who is it again that you've been getting along with?" His dad looked at him then.

"Uh, Steve," Sam said quickly. "His name is Steve."

"Oh yeah," Tony said looking at him with a sideways glance. "You two _have_ hit it off haven't you? Steve's a great kid. I can see why you'd get along."

"Mhm," Sam responded simply as he looked around the room, wanting to get on with whatever Tony had interrupted his call for. Talking about his friendship with Steve obviously wasn't it. He suddenly furrowed his brow. Or was it? "Uh, Uncle T… You had a point you were going to make?"

"Right." Tony nodded and then looked back at his dad. "So here's the thing. A few nights ago I asked him to move in."

"Really?" Sam asked in disbelief. That was definitely the last thing he'd expected, but he couldn't help smiling at the idea.

"Yeah, really," Tony affirmed. "You're the first one to know about it so please don't say anything." Tony then cleared his throat. "Now Bruce only agreed under two provisos. Other than the obvious one with our kids being okay with it, he said that if you aren't okay with it he won't move in," Tony said, the point obviously aimed at his father. Sam watched his dad's reaction; he had moved his hand to his chin in a studious motion. "Dr. Banner respects the fact that he's not your son's guardian and that you don't know him or his children. If you're not comfortable or want to meet him first, he's willing to wait. I mean, the guy will probably insist on waiting if you even remotely hint that you're not sure about it."

Suddenly his dad laughed, hand falling away, and Sam smiled knowing that his intense glare had been a ruse. "And let me guess, you'd be pretty disappointed if I said no?"

"Well, yeah," Tony admitted. "But give me a little credit. I respect your wishes."

"And give me a little credit. I still trust you wouldn't put my son in danger… Well, not like this anyway. But you must really be serious about this guy."

Sam grinned. "He is."

Tony looked at him with a crooked grin of his own before looking back at the screen. "I am. So, you are okay with it?"

"That depends." His dad looked at him and Sam knew the decision was going to fall to him. "What do you say, Sam? Are you comfortable with Dr. Banner and his kids moving in there? Or do you think Tony's rushing this thing a bit?" Rhodey finished with a small laugh aimed at Tony. "Wait do you even have enough room in that palace of yours for seven more kids?"

Tony laughed at that. "We can make it work. A few of the kids will have to share, but Bruce's kids are already used to that so he doesn't think it'll be a problem. And don't worry, Sam won't be one of them. No matter how much he might want to room with his new bestie," Tony said with a teasing smirk before winking at Rhodey. His dad snorted in amusement.

Sam coughed and felt a warmth rising up the back of his neck. "I, uh… Okay, dude, no." He shook his head. "Sure I like the guy and all, but I'm not about to give up any of my space." His dad was looking at him suspiciously. "What?"

"Nothing," Rhodey said. "So you're okay with Dr. Banner?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah. He's pretty cool. Better cook than Uncle T here which is nice." Rhodey snorted. "And _all_ of his kids are cool enough. Loki's a little angsty and Natasha's downright scary, but yeah. And I wouldn't want Uncle T moping around the place over not having his boyfriend around all the time."

"Alright then," Rhodey conceded. "Sounds fine. But I do want to meet him when I can and make a final call," he added with a look at Tony. "Also might need to discuss a few things with him."

"We're too old for the shovel talk, Rhodey," Tony said.

"No, this is more like a bulldozer talk. A 'hurt him, hurt his kids, hurt _my_ kid, you die' talk. And that's not the only thing I meant," he said in a serious enough tone that Sam had to wonder and he saw Tony look just a little bit worried.

 

* * *

 

"Not into surfing?" Natasha asked as she sat down on the beach next to Sam. Aside from herself and Loki and Wanda, and Jemma who Tony was teaching how to skimboard instead, he was the only other one sitting out the surfing portion of the little beach bash Thor had wanted for his birthday. It seemed a little strange since he was into most other sports as far as she could tell.

"Not really my sport," he said with a shrug. "I go out there sometimes, but I'm just as fine swimming or chilling out on the beach. Surprised?"

She gave a shrug of her own. "You're athletic so a little."

"Okay, you got me," he confessed, though sounding melodramatic as if it wasn't really state secrets. "I had a small accident when I was younger. Nothing like near fatal or anything. But it just hasn't appealed to me since."

"Ah. Well, here's to the beach bum life," she said, raising her fruit smoothie toward him. They sat in silence for a few moments before she finally decided to ask her real question since it was just the two of them – a rarity in the chaos of fourteen kids hanging out regardless of the size of the house. "You know something," she said point-blank.

"What?" He looked at her, clearly thrown off guard.

"I think that statement was clear enough. You know something and you're keeping it from us. And whatever it is, my dad and Tony know it too. You've all three been acting weird the past few days." She paused and gave him a thin smile. "So, do I have to pry it from you? Because I can be pretty persuasive."

"Um, okay, uh… No, no, you don't have to…" Sam looked around as if trying to find a witness for whatever she might be implying. He sighed. "Okay, you really can't let your dad or Uncle T know I told you."

She rolled her eyes. "Sam, we're not kids. I'm not a snitch if that's what you're worried about."

"Eh, never know. I can think of a few of your siblings or Starks for that matter who I wouldn't trust with this kind of thing," Sam said in earnest response. She nodded her head back and forth in concession to his point. "Okay, I don't know the whys or whatever, but your dad and Tony have been discussing your all moving into the mansion."

Natasha's typically schooled face shifted into an expression of confusion. "Really? Already?" She considered it. "Maybe it's because dad was having problems with our old landlord and finding a place here on account of it."

Sam shrugged. "Maybe. They're going to spring it on you one of these days because it's up to all of you if you're okay with the arrangement," he explained and then looked back out on the surf.

She considered it carefully. "Well, we're always with you guys anyway. And dad has been pretty stressed about looking for a place before the school year. And he…" Natasha let her sentence trail when she realized Sam had stopped paying attention to her. She followed his gaze to where Steve was coming up to the shoreline, carrying his board with him. "Enjoying the view?"

"Yeah…" Sam answered absently before he realized his slip up. "I mean…" He looked at her frantically and she smiled wryly. "Damn, you're good."

Natasha snorted at that. "No, you're just sloppy," she corrected. "I mean, I am. But I think the only one who doesn't get it is Steve."

"Good," Sam said in relief and she rolled her eyes. "What? He's a good friend and I don't wanna make things weird, okay?"

"Again, not a snitch," she said to his implied request. "And you may have a point. Steve is awkward enough oblivious. If he actually got a clue, who even knows how he might react," she said with a laugh.

"Hey now," he said, nudging her playfully. "Some people find that endearing."

"Oh god," she laughed harder and nudged him back. "I can't believe you like him. This is weird."

"Oh, weirder than you dating his best friend?" He asked incredulously though with a wide smile. "Because I got the impression that's all kinds of weird for Steve."

"It is," she admitted with unrepentant impishness.

He laughed and shook his head. "That's cold."

From the corner of her eye Natasha didn't miss the way Steve stopped in his tracks and studied them.

 

* * *

 

"Loki, do you think Hulk misses us?" Jemma asked him at random through a bite of her macaroni and cheese.

"No," he said coolly even though he knew better. Sometimes he just enjoyed being contrary. She pouted and looked up at him as though he had broken her heart and that wouldn't do so he relented. "I think he really, _really_ misses us." Her face brightened instantly. "And he probably misses you most of all," he added.

He saw the look his father gave him as he walked by with his own plate to sit at the end of the table. It was the look his father gave him when he was proud of him. He would never admit it and knew it made him somewhat pathetic, but he liked that look.

His father then looked down the table and nodded minutely. Loki quickly followed his gaze to see Tony clearly communicating with his father about something without words. He looked down at his plate of food with a sudden inkling in the pit of his stomach that whatever it was it was going to affect them all.

"Well, I suppose we'll just have to go get Hulk and bring him here so he won't miss you anymore," Tony said breezily.

"Really!?" Jemma cheered.

Loki looked up at Natasha across from him. While everyone else was looking around in confusion, she had that infuriatingly knowing look on her face. Whatever this was, she had managed to figure it out somehow before the rest of them. He narrowed his eyes at her questioningly and she gestured all around with her eyes. He blinked a few times, contemplating what that could mean.

"Did we find a house?" Peter asked and it dawned on Loki in that moment. His eyes widened in disbelief and Natasha hitched a shoulder before taking a bite of her dinner.

"We might have," Bruce answered, clearly hedging.

"How would everyone feel," Tony started, "if we made this arrangement a little more permanent?"

There was silence so loud that Loki found it almost unbearable as they all looked at one another uncertainly.

"You're getting married!?" Harley broke it with a disbelieving shout.

Loki noticed that as he and his siblings turned their head to look at their father for an answer the Starks' heads turned the opposite direction to look at their father.

"We're not… No…" Bruce stammered. "That's not what he meant. He meant…" He shook his head and looked helplessly at Tony.

"I'm offering the Banner clan to move in here with us," Tony clarified and soon all of their heads were turned in his direction. "I think it makes sense, even if it's only temporary, but it's ultimately up to everyone at this table to come to a unanimous decision." Some of them opened their mouths, but Tony barreled on quickly. "Because there are twelve bedrooms and fourteen kids, four of you will need to buddy up. Just laying it out there on the table before you make that decision. And if we do this, I'm making it perfectly clear here and now. This house becomes everyone's house. Banner kids will have the same rights as Stark kids."

"What about rules?" Loki felt inclined to ask. "It's no secret that you two aren't entirely compatible when it comes to rulemaking."

"School year rules are way harsher," Clint replied before either of their fathers could.

"He's right," Tony said. "But your father and I will have to discuss that at length. Technically you're still his kids so if he has different rules, I won't interfere."

"And I won't interfere with Tony's," Bruce added. "So… We'll leave you to deliberate amongst yourselves and—"

"Would we bring all of our stuff with us?" Jemma asked.

"Sweetheart, please don't interrupt," Bruce said gently. "But, yes, we would. But Tony says you can keep the bed in the room here if you like it better."

"But then where would Jane sleep?" She quizzed further.

"I can share with Jane," Darcy suddenly volunteered and Jane nodded enthusiastically.

Loki didn't quite understand that budding friendship as Darcy was no scientist and a few years younger. Yet something about Darcy's pint-sized spunk seemed to prove a good foil for Jane's endless enthusiastic chatter about science.

"Let's not jump ahead," Bruce started.

"Me and Pete can totally share!" Harley then exclaimed and threw his arm around the other boy's shoulders which Loki found completely unsurprising.

"That's a terrifying idea," Tony said with a laugh. "How about everyone think it over and come to a decision first and then we'll discuss the room arrangement if need be."

Loki sighed. "I don't think it's that complicated," he said. "It's clear that you both want this, but are thinking of our feelings. But if you've been paying attention it's not like we've been kicking and screaming so far. We've been willing to adjust as necessary."

"Loki's right," Skye agreed with him. "The space is big enough and we've all gotten along together for the most part."

"Yeah, but that could change once we're all together 24/7 like an actual weird, blended family," Clint challenged, making a reasonable enough point.

"Sure," Skye said, not arguing. "But if it becomes too much of a problem I'm sure our dad and Dr. B will handle it. I say we go for it. Yolo right?"

"Skye, nobody says yolo anymore," Clint balked and shook his head. Then he shrugged. "But you make a good point. I'm in. But I'm not sharing a room."

"I'm okay with it," Wanda said. "Saying no now will only delay the inevitable."

She was right, Loki thought. It might even be best to let their fathers make play in the domestic arts now rather than later. No better way to test their relationship after all.

"I don't care," Pietro said flippantly. "They're always here anyway. And now Thor can teach me MMA," he added with a grin.

"Well, that's my kids present and accounted for," Tony said after a moment and looked down the table at Bruce.

Their father looked at Steve first and Steve glanced quickly at the boy beside him and then around the table. "As long as we're really welcome," he finally said in a dutiful sort of voice as he looked at Tony. "I wouldn't want us to be seen as encroaching on your home."

For some reason Tony glanced at their father and then smiled. "Like I said, if this happens it will literally be 'mi casa es tu casa' – no tricks, no surprises. Understood, Stark clan?"

"Understood," they all said in unison; Loki wasn't sure if it was fascinating or disturbing.

"I have no complaints," Thor said.

"Nor do I in case I wasn't clear earlier," Loki chimed in.

"New York is New York and I'm blunt enough to say there are way worse housing options," Natasha said with an easy shrug. Bruce groaned and Tony laughed in amusement, no doubt finding her remark earnest rather than offensive.

"I'm totally in," Peter piped up next and then all the eyes fell on Jemma beside him.

She squirmed in her seat and Tony said, "I know you probably don't want to move at all, but would you like to move in here?" He looked at her with a soft gaze.

"I guess it would be fun," she said with a small shrug of her equally small shoulders. "If everyone else wants to, then it's okay."

Loki looked at his father for his reaction in time to see the way he smiled in clear relief and looked at Tony in a sickeningly-in-love sort of way. He didn't have to turn his head to know the billionaire was looking at his father in the same way.

 

* * *

 

Jemma hugged her favorite doll close as she watched the furniture and boxes be carried out of the house by the movers Tony had hired to help them take the stuff all the way to New York by truck. Around the house her dad and siblings were packing up the last of their stuff and labeling the boxes. She walked back to her old bedroom to see it was already half empty. A lot of stories and movies made moving seem like an adventure, but all she felt was sad.

"Jemma," her dad called and she palmed away a few tears before going back into the living room to see what he wanted. "Aunt Betty and Leo are here," he told her even though she could see that for herself.

Her Aunt Betty came over and smoothed her hair over with her soft hand. "How are you holding up, dear?" She asked in that equally soft voice of hers. It sometimes made Jemma wish she could have a mother too even if she knew it was wrong of her to think so. Her father liked other fathers and that was okay. Jemma put on a brave smile, but didn't say anything. "Bruce, mind if I abduct Jemma and take her to the park with Leo?"

Jemma looked over to see her dad smile softly and shake his head. "No, of course not. We'll probably be about another hour with clearing everything out."

"Okay," Aunt Betty said and then held out her hand. Jemma gladly took it, squeezing her doll tightly in her other arm. She was happy to go to the park. It would be less sad than watching the house grow emptier and emptier.

The park wasn't very far so they walked there. The entire way Leo talked about a science book he had read, but she was still a little too sad to really pay attention. When they got there Aunt Betty held her doll for her while she and Leo went to the two swings that were free.

"Do you think we'll ever see each other again?" Leo asked after they'd been swinging for what felt like forever not talking.

Jemma's lip quivered, but she still forced herself to smile. "I hope so. Daddy says we'll find a way. Maybe Tony can fly you to New York like he did for Steve's birthday," she suggested.

"It won't be the same," he said.

She wanted to hit him hard because she wasn't stupid and he didn't have to say things that they both knew, especially when those things made her want to cry. "I know that," she said back instead. "But there's nothing I can do. I'm moving." Suddenly Leo stopped swinging and stretched his leg to kick at the ground. Then he twisted in his swing and stopped hers. "Hey, what are you doing?" She protested.

Leo looked at her with a pout. "I don't want you to leave, Jemma," he said, looking like he was going to cry.

Jemma couldn't smile anymore. She couldn't!

"I don't want to leave either, Leo. You're my best friend," she choked out, starting to cry. "But I have to! I have to and it's not fair!" She let go of the swing and began sobbing into her hands.

"Jemma, sweetie, what's wrong?" Jemma moved her hands and through wet eyes saw Aunt Betty stooped in front of her, her doll tucked underneath one arm. "What's wrong, honey?" Aunt Betty asked again gently and pulled a tissue from her purse. Aunt Betty began dabbing at the tears on her cheeks.

"I don't want to move," Jemma said through snivels. "I just want to stay here. With you and Daddy and Hulk and Leo and I want everything to be the same. I want daddy to read to me at night and make breakfast for just me and Peter before school and to listen to Tasha and Jane arguing in our room and…" She sobbed again. "I don't want to move."

Aunt Betty handed her doll to Leo and pulled her into a hug. "Oh, Jemma. I know. I know it hurts. You've never moved before like your daddy and brothers and sisters. So I know this is scary for you," she spoke soothingly and Jemma thought it sounded like music. "I can't promise you things won't change because I don't know. But I know that your sisters will still argue and your daddy will still read to you when he can. You'll still have Hulk and maybe your dad will make breakfast for more than just you and Peter, but he'll still love you the same when he does. I know Leo won't be there or me or your Uncle Leonard, but it'll be okay. You'll see. I'm sorry it hurts, Jemma. I wish it didn't. I'm going to miss you." Aunt Betty squeezed her tighter before letting go and pushing away the hair stuck to her cheeks. "How about we share some ice cream together before we head back, hmm?"

Jemma sniveled and gave a weak nod. She then sat back down on the swing while Aunt Betty left toward one of the park vendors. Leo gave her doll a hug and then handed it back to her, smiling a little when he did. She took it, looked at it for a moment and then hugged it as well.

"I think if we're really best friends, we'll always be best friends," Leo said in a brave voice in spite of his looking like he wanted to cry too.

"Promise?" She asked, looking at him hopefully.

"Promise," Leo said with a nod. Blushing she couldn’t help herself and leaned over and kissed her friend on his cheek. He turned red and if she wasn't still too sad she would giggle. "Why'd you do that?" He asked.

"Because you're my friend and I care about you, silly," she answered.

"Oh," he said and Jemma rolled her eyes.

Sometimes boys were dumb. Even smart boys like Leo.


	14. Settling In

Tony shook his head as he paused in front of the bedroom that Harley and Peter now shared. The two boys were disassembling something. He couldn't tell what, but he had a sinking feeling that giving in to those two sharing a room even if only on a trial basis was still playing with fire.

He shook his head again and moved on until he reached Jemma's room. He stood quietly in the doorway and listened fondly as Bruce read to the girl that leaned against his chest. Bruce made to turn the page after a long passage, but paused and looked up at him.

"Something up?" He asked.

"No. Well, yes. But I was just listening." Tony looked at Jemma. "Do you mind if I listen or do you want this to be Jemma and daddy time? Because I totally understand."

The little girl looked hesitant before meekly saying, "Maybe next time? I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, Jem," he reassured her. "I'm okay with you and your dad having time just the two of you. I was just going to say when you're done here, Bruce, meet me in my workshop."

"Okay," Bruce said with a nod.

"Enjoy your story and sweet dreams," Tony said with a smile and then left.

On his way to his workshop, he passed the gym and paused when he heard the sound of a punch. He ducked his head in and found Sam and Steve sparring in the ring.

"I'm still trying to figure out how you've never played football, man," Sam said, voice ragged from the exertion of energy. "I mean, dude, you're practically like the All-American."

Steve laughed, sounding less winded. "Yeah, I've gotten that before actually. Cracks about the blonde hair and blue eyes. Hilarious."

"Yeah, there's that," Sam said after nearly taking a punch from letting his guard slip. "But pretty sure they also meant the physique." Steve laughed again. "Some people just scream all-star," Sam said.

Tony ducked back out, leaving them to their spar, but not without a thoughtful scrunch of his face and click of his teeth. Shaking his head yet again, he then moved on finally to his workshop only to find Wanda was there.

"Hey, pretty flower, whatcha doing?" He asked her when he came in.

"Butterfingers seemed like he needed a small tune-up," she said about one of the robots he had created and she had practically taken on as her pets over the years.

"You're following safety guidelines right?" Tony asked in concern and she noddhead "Wish you would have told me. Could have worked on it together," he said.

"You mean you wanted to supervise me," she corrected.

"Still your dad, sweetheart," he replied snappily. He knew she could do it herself without getting hurt, but the last thing he wanted was an accident because he gave the kids too much trust.

_I assure you, sir I was monitoring the situation and would have alerted you had there been the slightest issue_ , JARVIS intoned and sounded almost offended that his 24/7 role as protector and guard dog, in a sense, had been overlooked.

"Of course, J," Tony acknowledged and moved to watch Wanda work. "So, how are you adjusting?"

She shrugged. "It's only been a few days. It doesn't feel any different than their last visits yet," she responded. "I'm not sharing a room and Dr. Banner's kids will probably have it harder," she added.

"Okay, different question, Miss Perceptive. Any clue what your brother and Peter are up to?" Tony raised an inquisitive brow.

"I think they're strapping a camera to Harley's helicopter to turn it into a spy copter or something." Her tone was entirely bored.

Tony's eyes widened. "Well, I guess it's more character building than hacking JARVIS for his security feed."

Wanda laughed. "Only by a little."

"What are Peter and Harley up to?" Bruce asked, announcing his presence, and Tony turned to see him looking around in awe like he had the first time he'd been into the workshop.

"Character building," Wanda answered the question and Bruce chuckled.

"Why do I get the feeling that means they're up to something questionable?" He asked as he came over toward the work bench.

"Because it does," Tony replied with a chuckle of his own. 

They didn't say anything else for a few moments. Tony watched Bruce as Bruce watched Wanda work on Butterfingers. The other man was clearly impressed.

"Robotics aren't my thing," Bruce finally said. "You'll have to show me the basics some time."

Tony smiled at the offer as did Wanda. "I'd like that," she said.

"So," Bruce started. "Was there something you wanted me for?" He gestured between him and Wanda. "I mean, I can come back if—"

"No, it's fine," Tony interjected. "Wanda has this covered. And JARVIS has her covered apparently," Tony jabbed at the AI. "So if you'll come along this way, Doctor," he said with an eager smile and nod behind him. Tony saw the encouraging and knowing smile that spread across Wanda's face before he turned.

Tony led him to the far end of the room where there was a door with an access panel. Tony quickly punched in the code and the door slid open. Past the door was a newly renovated lab.

"So this is the lab?" Bruce said with no small amount of intrigue as he walked in and began taking in the sight. "I was beginning to think you made it up."

"No, it just…" Tony shook his head. "It wasn't exactly presentable before. Hadn't been used in years. Lots of outdated equipment. Bio isn't really my thing."

He saw Bruce's eyes widen in understanding and genuine concern. "This was Maya's lab," he said knowingly.

"It was," Tony said with a nod. He then took a breath. "But now it's yours if you want it. For however long you're here. I had it updated and better equipped for your expertise," he explained.

Bruce looked around, obviously overwhelmed. "Tony… You didn't have to do this. I don't expect you to… If this was Maya's…" Bruce sighed and gave him an uncertain glance as if the physicist had committed a crime just being there.

Tony crossed over to him. "Maya would be happy to know it was being used to better the world by someone who can truly appreciate a space like this," Tony said with conviction as he took Bruce's hands into his own. "Everybody has a space in this house. Well, the kids have their niche spaces even if they share them," he added with a hitch of his shoulder. "So I wanted you to have a space too. I'm okay with this. I promise. Actually, it was a little surprising at first how okay I was with this gesture until I realized it's because of you."

He squeezed the physicist's hands and then let go of one, moving his free hand to rest along the side of Bruce's neck instead. He let his thumb brush the stubble along Bruce's jaw back and forth a few times.

Tony continued gently. "For the longest time I never would have believed I could care enough about anyone else to take this kind of step forward, but you've changed that. That's how I know this is real. And maybe it's a little selfish of me to use you for my own healing, but—"

Bruce closed the space between them and brought their lips together, effectively bringing that point to an abrupt but pleasant stop.

"You're not the only one who's healing here, Tony," he said, pulling away. Tony furrowed his brow. "Other than my kids and a few people, I don't usually let people get this close. It's just not always easy for me. It's probably why most of my relationships never went very far. Not just because I had a lot of kids. That was… _a_ reason, but not the only one." He sighed, sounding rueful. "I still have a lot of things that haunt me and a good deal of pessimism that holds me back. You see the glass half full with room to expand. I see it as an even amount, something that just is. It's not half empty or half full, it's just a glass of water," he seemed desperate to explain.

Tony followed Bruce's earlier cue and brought their lips together again.

"I think I get it," he said, pitching his voice lower. "You're analytical." Bruce shrugged and gave a small nod. "And you're analytical because you're brilliant. That's not a bad thing. It's the opposite of a bad thing. I might see the glass half full, but that's not always a good thing. If I didn't have six kids, I'd be a lot more reckless or probably dead by now," he said honestly. "And even with kids, sometimes I think there aren't enough boundaries or I shouldn't let, you know, one of my daughters work on robots with only AI supervision," he stated, reaching for humor but not wanting to lose the point he was trying to make.

He looked Bruce intently in the eyes. "You _are_ brilliant and I love that about you. I wouldn't want that to be different. The glass of water can take care of itself," he said before kissing him again to make his point clearer.

He wasn't going to take for granted that Bruce was letting him get this close, learn the things that made the other man most vulnerable because he knew Bruce didn't take it for granted the ways Tony was letting him into those parts of himself that had once been filled by someone else.

Bruce's lips parted wide in invitation against his own and Tony deepened the kiss as they pressed in closer, bodies reaching for one another of their own accord.

"I need you," Bruce whispered, prying himself away to do so.

Tony chased his lips for a few more, admittedly sloppy, kisses before pulling away with a nod. "I think that can be arranged."

 

* * *

 

Bruce chuckled a little to himself as he left the break room designated for the team of scientists he was assigned to work with. It was his first day, which was mostly going through the typical orientation routine. He was getting to know the building and people and would continue to do similar things for the remainder of the week. But so far he had aa distinct feeling Tony had had a hand in placing him with a group he would find amusing.

And their apparent tradition of playing _Manic Monday_ in the break room on loop on Mondays was amusing. It would probably get old fast, but it was amusing.

Bruce glanced at his watch as he went to his locker and put away his lab coat and name badge. He also grabbed the massive Stark Industries employee manual he was tasked with reading before the end of the week. He then made his way toward Tony's office.

It wasn't the end of the work day, but it was registration day for the K-8 S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy and so he – along with other employees whose kids were enrolled there, Tony assured him – was going to meet Tony so they could meet their youngest kids there. Bruce mused about how quickly he'd learned to trust his kids being chauffeured places without his supervision and wondered if that made him a bad father.

He didn't have time to consider that thought before nearly running into Pepper as she came off the elevator the same time he was rounding the corner to the hall Tony's office sat on.

"Good afternoon, Dr. Banner," she addressed him properly as she warned him she would during the work day; he didn't mind. "I'm just taking some paperwork to Mr. Stark's office," she said with a sigh and he gestured for her to go ahead of him. "My secretary is on vacation and I'm between personal assistants at the moment," she explained. "I keep telling Tony I'm going to snag one of his kids as soon as they graduate, but hey I guess you have a few you could offer too." She gave a friendly laugh.

"Natasha would probably be good at that," Bruce said thoughtfully. "But I hope you find somebody sooner," he offered.

"Thank you," she said, sounding genuine. "How do you like your team now that you've met them?"

"Uh, they're great," he said genuinely even if he wasn't entirely familiar with them yet. "So many brilliant minds in one space… It's a little scary actually," he said with a laugh.

She laughed as well. "Yes, it is." Pepper then tilted her head as they came to a stop outside Tony's office. "And not to make you feel uncomfortable, but did you get any sort of sense that there might be a problem with them regarding your relationship with Mr. Stark? Because we took great care to place you with a team we believed would be less inclined to make that kind of judgment. But we can only do so much." She shrugged apologetically.

"They were all very friendly and if they did think anything, they kept it to themselves," Bruce replied. "In fact, a few of them had actually read my work and seemed pleased to have me on the team. That… I think that was a little weirder than any judgment glares I would have gotten," he said.

"Oh, please," Pepper scoffed as she knocked on Tony's office door and then opened it. The billionaire wasn't inside. "I'm not a scientist, but I've worked around them long enough to know when someone is truly brilliant. It's an instinct I've developed over the years. As soon as I started reading over your information, I had no doubts as to why Mr. Stark was interested in your working for us. Neither did our hiring department."

"Well, thank you," he said lamely, but he meant it. He looked around and then looked at his watch as she placed a folder down on Tony's desk. "You should know now, Bruce," she indulged in the use of his name, he guessed because they were in the privacy of Tony's office, "Tony is not always the pantheon of punctuality. He's gotten better since, well, necessity." He understood she meant as a single parent. "But he gets distracted easily and loses track of time and sometimes dates. I'm assuming he should have been expecting you."

"Registration day at S.H.I.E.L.D., today and tomorrow," he supplied.

"Ah, well, I wouldn't know anything about that," Pepper said with a small shrug. "I hope his being late doesn't cause any trouble." She seemed hesitant about something. "Happy and I have been discussing adoption," she shared at last.

"Oh?" He asked with a smile. "Well, I'm sure you know I'm very pro-adoption. It's not an easy process. I got very lucky with my kids being very special cases. But if you're wondering if you'll be able to love them as much as if they were yours, the answer is you will. If you and your husband really want children, then the feeling will be the same. Jane and Jemma are mine biologically, but I don't love them any more or less than my other children," he said in example. "Still, there are wonderful pre-adoption programs out there now to help with the process and what you can be expected to face emotionally or financially. I didn't have go through any with my first three, but I went through one when trying to adopt Natasha just because it was the hardest process."

Pepper smiled. "Happy and I might just have to pick your brain on this."

"Tony has Wanda and Pietro," Bruce pointed out.

She shook her head. "Yes, but Tony is, well, Tony. He and Maya really didn't have much trouble at all. I'm a Fortune 500 COO, a woman no less, without the luxury of being a socialite. I'm not entirely sure they would like how my schedule looks on an application or the fact that Happy and I live in a loft apartment rather than a traditional house. Things like that."

Bruce nodded. "Well, if you need help of any kind or want to discuss it, I'm more than happy to do what I can. And I wish you and Happy luck."

"Thank you," she responded.

"Jeez, I am so sorry," Tony interrupted at that moment and Bruce turned to see him in the doorway. "I was alerted by IT that a certain asshole was looking for a backdoor into our archives," he muttered angrily.

"Hammer?" Pepper asked.

"Not sure yet, but I'd be willing to bet a small fortune on it," the billionaire grumbled. "Probably looking for left over weapon schematics or project details," he said with a sigh. "Alright, well, I guess we'd better get going. Principal Coulson is not a man who likes to be kept waiting."

Bruce understood what he meant upon being introduced to the man in the one on one meeting that followed a quick new student orientation where the children were also given their tentative schedules, for the kids in grades six through eight, and teacher assignments, for those in elementary. Principal Coulson was dressed in a pristinely pressed black suit and the way he carried himself reminded Bruce of a secret service man.

"Normally we would schedule these meetings with each individual parent," Coulson said once he and Tony were settled in the chairs in front of his desk. It was a bit of a comedic sight, Bruce thought, as Jane, Wanda, Pietro, Darcy, Peter and Harley crowded around in extra seats proffered for them and Jemma sat in his lap. He was certain Coulson even had an amused twinkle in his eyes as he studied them. "But as you've informed us of the living situation and your wish to keep things as blended as possible, I'm willing to make the exception. Alright, we'll start with our middle-schoolers. Now that you've seen the schedules, are there any concerns?"

"Is Jane in the advanced science program?" Bruce asked first. He had expected to see that indicated on the schedule, but it hadn't been.

Coulson pulled up her schedule on his computer and narrowed his eyes. "She took the advanced placement test for that program, yes?"

"Yes," Bruce answered.

Coulson typed in something else and studied the screen. "Ah, I see what happened. And that's very embarrassing. There's a Bannes in her grade level and it looks like there was an error somewhere and Bannes' schedule was duplicated for Jane. My apologies." He quickly began fixing Jane's schedule and soon there was a print out behind him. "Here you go. I'll take the other." Jane came over and traded off before returning.

"Now we have a few classes together," Wanda said eagerly.

"Some of the advanced science classes overlap," Coulson explained before he could ask. "It's a matter of readiness rather than grade level."

"I don't have any classes with Wanda," Pietro protested and Bruce saw Coulson sigh slightly before looking at Tony. "Except lunch," Pietro clarified.

"There are a few reasons for that," Coulson started delicately. "With Wanda being in the advanced program, less and less classes are going to line up that meet their individual needs," he said without stating outright it had to do with Pietro's struggles with academics. "I could perhaps find one other class that could line up, maybe an elective or gym perhaps," he hedged before continuing, "but we do feel it might be in Pietro's best interests if he has more independent socialization apart from Wanda."

Tony looked over at his son and then back at the principal. "I wasn't aware he was having problems making friends."

"He doesn't," Coulson said, "when he allows himself to. But he's very clingy with his sister and while I understand the bond between twins is very special, it can also become a problem later if he becomes too dependent on her or vice versa."

Tony nodded. "Got it. Maybe the elective if you can to ease him into it. Then next year we'll see."

"Alright, I'll look into it and email you a new schedule if it's doable," Coulson said. "I see Darcy is wearing her glasses. I hope we won't have any more notes home about how she's not wearing them in the classroom like the end of last year?" He raised an eyebrow toward the girl.

"Dad bought me a bunch more frames I liked for my birthday so now I'm a fashionista," Darcy chirped and Bruce smiled in spite of the admission of being spoiled rotten.

"Dr. Banner's suggestion," Tony quipped beside him.

"Whatever works," Coulson said non-judgmentally with a small laugh. "Okay so I want to discuss Peter and Harley at the same time. Peter's placement test easily puts him at a 5th grade level rather than 4th, Dr. Banner." Bruce winced and Coulson seemed to understand his apprehension. "I assure you we take readiness very seriously here. I wouldn't just toss Peter into a 5th grade classroom with peers a year older. Sometimes that year makes a world of difference and sometimes it doesn't. I am, however, interested in what the both of you think about placing Peter and Harley in one of our advanced intermediate classes."

"What's that?" Bruce asked and he glanced at Tony to gauge his response.

"In Peter's and Harley's case it would be a combined 4th and 5th grade classroom that takes into consideration advanced needs of the lower grade level. For example, let's say Peter _can_ do well with effort at 5 th grade English, but it would be better for his needs to remain at a 4th, in this classroom he could work at either level as needed based on the material. Some 4th graders in these classrooms never work on the 5th grade material. On the other hand, we've had entire years where every 4th grader was working on the same material as the 5th graders so essentially it was a 5th grade classroom, but some were a year younger." Coulson paused his explanation to let them process the scenario. "The purpose is to avoid having a student as the lone younger student in a classroom simply because he has the fortune of being more intelligent. We don't wish to punish intelligence here, Dr. Banner. We find that this method allows acclimation for an advanced student by allowing them the ability to float between peers his own age or those that are older. Typically, it reduces the pressure of fitting in and prepares them mentally to skip a grade the following year. For example, Peter may make friends with several fifth graders and find himself ready to move onto sixth grade along with them. Does that make sense?"

Bruce took in all the information and slowly digested it, wishing he'd been as fortunate in having gone to a school that cared about students to this extent. Finally he nodded. "I think so. You want to monitor Peter's progress in an intermediate class rather than relying on the placement test."

"Absolutely. Now, with Harley…" Coulson glanced at the boy and then looked at Tony. "I'm curious if he and Peter get along."

"Principal Coulson, if you're suggesting putting those two in the same classroom," Tony started with a laugh as he looked over at both their sons and shook his head, "you might end up suing me for damages before the end of the year. Or at least run the risk of losing whatever poor soul that has the task of being their teacher."

Bruce snorted. "He might have a point. They do get along," he answered the previous question. "But maybe a little too well in the impish sort of way," he warned.

Coulson merely smiled. "That sounds preferable to Harley's situation last year. Harley," Coulson addressed the boy, "if given the chance to be in the same classroom as Peter, would you prefer that?"

"Heck yeah!" Harley exclaimed. "Wouldn't that be cool?" He and Peter started chattering lowly between them.

Coulson gestured as if to say he had proven a point. "Built-in buddy system. Basically the opposite of what I'm suggesting for Wanda and Pietro because I think Harley needs that right now."

"It wouldn't hurt for Peter either," Bruce added thoughtfully. "He's fairly adaptable, but he could also stand a little motivation to be more interested in going to school."

"So I guess that brings us to Jemma," Coulson said with a smile. "Another very intelligent young lady it would seem according to her placement test. But I won't be recommending her for our 2nd and 3rd grade intermediate classroom," Coulson said evenly. "Her answers to the questions regarding socialization left enough room for concern."

Bruce narrowed his eyes. "Concern?"

"Her answers were perhaps a little too perfect," Coulson said, looking as though he was deliberating over his choice of words. "In my experience when a child of her age answers questions as a model for perfect behavior, there are adaptability issues. In new situations or situations where they're placed on the spot, the pressure is sometimes too much. These children typically excel at perfect behavior because they've developed a rule of order at an early enough age, but because they're just children there's little room for expansion or open mindedness there. Placing her in an intermediate classroom may be too much of a challenge for her at this point especially given your recent life change."

Bruce looked at his daughter and hoped he hadn't been hurting her somehow by not encouraging her to be more spontaneous or by being so impressed by her model behavior. He'd thought he had been encouraging her to be herself.

 

* * *

 

Skye had seen the man before and had heard the stories, but sitting in a classroom with Principal Fury standing at the front was more intimidating than her soon-to-be freshman heart would like to admit. He was tall and burly looking and only had one eye, a black patch covering the spot where the other would be. Then again, Vice Principal Hill – who she did know as she was also the athletics head – was just as intimidating in this setting as she stood menacingly off to the side.

Skye looked around the classroom Fury had commandeered for this meeting since there were seven of them at once in addition to her dad and Dr. Banner. When she looked back at Principal Fury, he seemed to be studying the situation, but whether or not his conclusion was good or bad she couldn't tell from his neutral expression.

Finally he shook his head and looked at her dad and Bruce where they stood rather than sat. "Four new students from the same family. I'm not surprised Tony Stark is involved."

"Well, you know me, Nick. I just like to go around collecting children," Tony said and Bruce made a choking noise.

"So that's why you're interested in me?" He asked teasingly before looking back at the principal. "If it's a problem…" He started, but Fury waved a hand.

"Of course not," Fury said. "So our secretary says you're all living in the same place now so we need to discuss your expectations for how you want us to treat your collective little army."

"As blended as possible," Tony answered. "I want Dr. Banner added as an emergency contact for my children and—"

"I've already indicated Mr. Stark as the other contact when I applied," Bruce finished the statement and gave Tony a sheepish smile and shrug.

"Alright. Blended," Fury said with a nod. "That means we're looking at a situation where we have seven students living under the same roof and now attending the same school, some of which are in the same grade. This should be fun."

"Are you sure it isn't a problem?" Bruce asked and Skye had to admit she was curious too.

Fury looked at him as if in consideration. "No, not exactly, but we do prefer to prevent situations were siblings spend the entire school day in the same classes. Between the classes that overlap grade levels, electives, AP, it can happen and it's not always ideal. We find it helps with character development and reduces sibling rivalry if shared classes are kept to a minimum. Usually we just switch around their homerooms or something along those lines in order to give the student the courses the need or want without the overlap. This is a unique case as there typically aren't this many students from the same household in the school at one time."

Fury paused and looked them over. Skye glanced around at the others quickly before darting her eyes back toward Fury should he be upset her attention wasn't solely on him.

"The thing here is your children technically aren't siblings so _maybe_ there's a loophole there, but I'd prefer not to exercise it if need be. So I'm going to have to look over their schedules very carefully and see if we can't keep any excessive overlap to a minimum," he finished, sounding extremely put upon. "I'm warning you now, some of you may have to switch electives to make that possible."

"You know, Sam's technically _technically_ not related to any of them," Tony pointed out with a wag of his finger. "And I don't mean that as in Sam is the adopted redheaded child—"

"That would be me," Natasha quipped nonchalantly and Skye thought Fury looked _almost_ amused by it.

"—but his living arrangement is, as you know, only until his father finishes his current tour overseas and can hopefully return to his station here in New York."

"Your point, Mr. Stark?" Fury asked.

"My point, Principal Fury, is that I would prefer that if there's an issue with schedule overlapping and it comes down to required switches he get first choice of which electives he keeps. He shouldn't be punished just because I'm his guardian from time to time."

Fury studied Tony carefully and then the rest of them. "Alright, that's a reasonable enough request. Let me see your tentative class selections so I can see what we're dealing with."

He came over and swooped up their filled out schedules before moving back to the desk. He then looked them over for what felt like an eternity, Hill looking over them as well. "Those two probably make the most sense for the same homeroom," she said, pointing at a few spots.

Fury nodded. Finally he commandeered the teacher's desk and began scribbling on a few with a red pen.

While he did that, Hill came over to stand in front of Steve and Thor. "I've seen your boys' sports records. S.H.I.E.L.D. could use both of you. I assume I can look forward to your trying out for the same teams you were on at your last school?" She asked, looking at Thor.

"I was planning on it," Thor answered.

"Good. Our football and wrestling teams could definitely use you." She then looked at Steve. "What about you, Steve? Have you ever played football?"

For some reason Steve sighed and shook his head. "No. I mean, not outside of playing with friends."

"Loren, a moment," Fury called over to them.

"Dude, I forgot your name was Loren," Clint leaned over and muttered. Skye thought Loki seemed pleased by that as he stood and walked over to the principal.

"Do you understand the basics of the game?" Hill continued to question Steve about football.

"Sure," he said with a nod.

"Then I'd like you to consider trying out. With your speed on the track, I'd like to see how you do on a field."

Steve looked at Sam, who shrugged, before saying, "I'll have to think about it."

"That's acceptable." Skye caught the tell-end of whatever Loki was speaking with Fury about. Loki returned over with his schedule in hand, Fury following behind.

Fury handed back their schedules."Alright, take those back to the gym and get your official schedules, planners, locker assignments and supply lists. Also, Banners, you'll need to stop by the tech desk we have set up to get your school emails registered." Fury then left, but not without looking at Tony and Bruce, shaking his head one more time.

"Try outs are on the 28th. Think seriously about trying out. There might be a spot for you too if you're interested, Sam," Hill said as she moved toward the door. "And, Stark," she added before leaving, "congratulations on finding someone willing to put up with you."

"What was that about?" Bruce asked Tony in amusement and Skye snickered.

Tony groaned. "When I was getting back into the dating scene I made the mistake of asking her to dinner. Quite honestly one of the worst dates of my life," he answered.

"Yeah, Coach Hill says the same thing," Clint quipped.

"Lucky for me," Bruce said sappily.

"So anyone else get Hand for homeroom?" Sam asked.

"I did," Steve said and they began comparing schedules.

A grin spread across Skye's face. She made a silent wish that if Sam and Steve had enough classes together it would help things along. After all, she had a sneaking suspicion Steve's feelings weren't just growing stronger but also reciprocated.

 

* * *

 

"One week down," Tony said as he dipped a strawberry into a pot of chocolate that sat on the table between him and Bruce. He pulled it out and looked at it for a moment. "Think we'll get through week two?" He asked, raising his brow and leaning towards Bruce.

Bruce leaned in as well and ate the strawberry held between Tony's thumb and index finger. He hummed contentedly. "I think so."

Tony used his other hand and carefully grabbed Bruce by the chin. "You've got a little…" He didn't finish the sentence before kissing Bruce slowly.

Jane sighed louder than she meant to and her dad and Tony broke apart, one with a smile and the other with a soft chuckle.

"Did you hear something?" Tony asked in mock ignorance.

"Maybe you have mice," Bruce suggested as he dipped a strawberry into the chocolate.

"You mean maybe _we_ have mice," Tony countered. "You live here too now."

"Slipped my mind," Bruce said, feeding Tony the strawberry.

Then they kissed again and there was a loud squeak of excitement, this time from Darcy. Jane looked at the girl beside her with wide eyes as Tony laughed outright.

"So much for date night," Tony said, sounding amused. He nodded for them to come over from where they were spying.

"Sorry," Jane apologized earnestly when she reached them. "It's just so romantic." She sighed once more because she couldn't help herself.

Her dad smiled at Tony with that dreamy look he got sometimes. "Yeah, I guess chocolate fondue is pretty romantic."

"And delicious!" Darcy exclaimed as she ate a strawberry practically covered in chocolate to her finger tips.

"Well, I guess we have two options here, Bruce," Tony said. "Shoo away the mice and start over or…"

Bruce nodded. "Fondue party," he completed the sentence and Tony's smile made it obvious that Bruce said exactly what he was going to say.

Jane sighed again because that was romantic too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. I was in an experimental advanced intermediate classroom that worked like the one Coulson describes. Not sure if they ever went anywhere/still exist like that, so grain of salt with that one. It was merely inspired by my own childhood.  
> 2\. I had to kill a darling here. There was going to be a fondue joke here, with Steve included. But it just wasn't working. So I went with keeping it short and sweet with Bruce/Tony having their time together interrupted and rolling with it. Bound to happen obviously.


	15. Days in the Lives of Peter and Loki

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've now entered the next act of the story so to speak where the kids will all get chapters where the main focus is on them and seeing the development of the family life through the various povs. Some of these 'days' will be literally all the same day while for some of the characters the 'days' will be excerpts from various days since it has to push the plot along. Also, there will not be an equal balance unfortunately. Some of the younger kids will get less pov time than the older (especially main team+Loki). Also Bruce and/or Tony will still have pov sections of varying length.

Peter blinked open his eyes and looked around. Sometimes it was still a little weird waking up in a different house, sharing a room with someone who wasn't Loki.

 _Good morning, Peter and may I wish you a happy birthday,_ JARVIS' voice resounded in the room, waking Harley as well.

"Thanks, JARVIS," Peter said as he rubbed his eyes and reached for his glasses.

"Hey, that's right," Harley said, sounding groggy as he rolled over and looked at him from his bed on the other side of the room. "It's your birthday. Happy birthday, dude," he said. "Wait, what time is it?"

 _It is 10 a.m. precisely_ , JARVIS answered. _And Dr. Banner prepared waffles for you when you are ready for breakfast._

"Birthday waffles!" Peter sat up immediately.

"Birthday waffles?" Harley asked curiously.

"Yeah, dad makes us waffles for breakfast on our birthdays," Peter explained.

"Oh, so that's why he made waffles on Steve and Thor's birthdays," Harley said, sitting up. "Cool."

Peter and Harley hurried toward the kitchen where everybody was already awake and sat around the large table. Peter was immediately bombarded with several variations of birthday greetings and wishes. His dad brought them both a plate of waffles and sat them in front of them on the table.

"Happy birthday, little spider," his dad said then and kissed him on his head. "I have to go into work for a few hours, but I have it on very good authority that Tony has something special planned for you while I'm gone."

Peter's eyes widened and he looked at Tony. "It's a surprise," Tony said and made a motion of zipping his lips.

Peter then saw the way Tony looked at his dad like he was just as eager about whatever it was. Whatever it was, his dad smiled but also had a look that said he wasn't eager.

"Will you be back before the party?" Peter asked before taking a large bite of his waffles, which he made plenty sure to drown in syrup.

"Of course," his dad answered. "This is kind of a…" He stuck his tongue out slightly and held it between his teeth. Peter knew it was what he did when he was trying to find the right explanation.

"It's kind of a pre-party party," Tony said.

Peter furrowed his brow as he swallowed his bite of waffles and then took a drink of orange juice to chase it down. "But, dad, won't you be missing out?"

"Uh…" His dad looked like he was put on the spot and Tony chuckled softly. "Let's just say you'll enjoy this pre-party event much more without dad there. Don't worry about me. And, actually, I might make it back for some of it."

_Dr. Banner, the car is ready._

"Right. Thank you, JARVIS," Bruce said, getting up from the table and taking his things to the kitchen. "Have fun," he said when he came back through. "Love you, kids."

"Aww, we love you too, Doc," Clint said teasingly although Peter wondered sometimes if his dad would ever love Tony's kids the way he loved him and his siblings or if Tony would love them the way he loved his kids.

"Have fun with the seminar," Tony said, standing up and giving Bruce a quick kiss. "No matter how desperately bored you get, don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Bruce laughed. "That doesn't leave a whole lot does it?" Tony gave a devious smile that reminded Peter of Harley. "And I'm trusting you," his dad said in a warning tone. "If anything happens, I'm blaming you."

"Don't worry. It'll be fine," Tony said and kissed him again before Bruce hurried out.

Peter wondered what his dad could be so worried about.

 

* * *

 

Peter was in the middle of playing on the Pac-Man machine in the rec room, trying to beat the current high score, when Tony came in and sat down on the opposite side of it.

"Is it time for my surprise?" Peter asked eagerly without looking up from the game.

"Just about," Tony answered. "Okay, Petey, I hope you don't mind, but this is going to be your present from me. Sorry it's a bit of a one-off type deal, but I think it's a pretty neat one-off deal. Also your dad kind of shut down all of my other ideas, one is apparently 'illegal' in the state of New York, and it was a challenge enough getting your dad to agree to this one," Tony explained.

Peter got so caught up in listening to Tony's explanation that he forgot about the game and lost. "Must be awesome if dad didn't want to agree to it." He also wondered what gift idea was illegal.

_Mr. Stark, they are now set up._

"Guess it's time to head outside," Tony said with a wide smile, standing.

"Outside?" Peter questioned, but Tony didn't say anything else. Peter followed him and Harley and Pietro joined them along the way. Once outside, where the others were already gathered, Peter's eyes widened. "Whoa!"

In one of the side yards were a man and a woman who had several lizards and insects. But the thing Peter's eyes went straight to was a tarantula.

"No wonder dad didn't want to be here," Steve said with a laugh. "How did you get him to agree to let Peter actually handle a tarantula?"

"Do we really want to know that answer?" Loki asked with a smirk.

Peter wasn't quite sure what that meant or why Steve coughed and Sam said, "Oh, dude, didn't need that mental image followed by Tony saying, "Hilarious" in a tone that didn't sound like he was amused.

All Peter could think about was Steve said he could handle the tarantula.

"I get to touch it?" He finally asked in disbelief.

Tony smiled wide. "Yep," Tony said with a wide smile and emphasis on the 'p' as he looked down at him. "This is a petting zoo and the nice folks will help you handle the tarantula and his other friends to your heart's content. Happy birthday, buddy."

"I can't believe it!" Peter was more excited than he'd ever been. He could finally actually touch a tarantula. His teacher back at his old school had never let them touch the class pet. "Thanks, Tony," he said, truly thankful. "This is the best gift ever!"

"Poor dad doesn't stand a chance now," Natasha said.

"So you're the birthday boy, are you?" The lady asked him.

He nodded. "My name's Peter."

"Well, Peter, why don't we jump right in here," she said. "Tarantulas are venomous, but really quite harmless." Suddenly the man came over with the tarantula on his outstretched arm. "Why don't you go ahead and take a few pets so you can get accustom to how he feels."

Peter did, squirming a little but in a way that was exciting. Behind him Jemma cried, "Eww!"

"That's so gross," Darcy agreed.

"Tarantulas aren't for everyone," the lady said. "But we do have some snakes and lizards and a few other creepy crawlies that might be your cup of tea."

"I highly doubt that," Skye said. "I'm a cat person." A few of the others agreed.

"Dog person," Clint chimed in and those who hadn't agreed with Skye agreed with him.

"I like all animals that are cute," Jemma said decidedly. "These aren't cute."

"No?" The guy then said and Peter watched as he transferred the tarantula to the lady's hand and moved to grab something else. When he returned he held a gecko and he walked over to his little sister, crouching down in front of her. She shied away a little, but Tony held her shoulders reassuringly. "What about this little guy? You don't think he's a little cute?"

Jemma looked long and hard at the gecko until suddenly it stuck its tongue out and she giggled. "Okay he's a little cute," she said and looked up at Tony who smiled at her. She then began petting it before being allowed to hold it.

Peter turned his attention back to the tarantula and was finally allowed to hold it. "This feels so weird," he said.

"This reminds me," Tony said as he came over and pet the tarantula crawling up his arm. "Have you watched _Free Willy_ yet?" Peter shook his head. "Then we definitely need to do that tonight after dinner."

"You haven't seen _Free Willy_?" Wanda asked incredulously. "It's way old, but really good."

Tony scoffed. "Way old? That's harsh. At least refer to it as a classic," he said moving his hands as he spoke.

"No, the classics are the films before the 70s," Steve argued.

"True that," Sam agreed.

"Okay, okay, whatever, we're watching it," Tony said. "Now I really want to handle a snake. Anyone else?"

"Absolutely not," Loki said and cringed. Loki hated snakes.

Peter rolled his eyes. "I do," he said even if it meant passing on the tarantula to someone else for the time being. The petting zoo continued for what both felt to Peter like forever and not long enough. "I wish I could have a pet tarantula."

"Apparently they're illegal in the state of New York, buddy," Tony replied. "Trust me, I looked."

"You did?!" Peter couldn't believe it. The more he was around Tony the more he felt bad he had ever said he didn't want another father. He still loved his dad more, but Tony was cool and super nice.

"There's no way dad would have allowed that," Thor said as he handed the turtle he'd been holding back to the guy.

"What wouldn't have dad allowed?" Peter turned and saw his dad had joined them.

"Me getting a tarantula as a pet. If it wasn't illegal," Peter added.

"Oh, yeah, no. That would have been a definite no," Bruce said. "Sorry."

"You know, maybe you should hold the tarantula, Bruce. Just face your fears," Tony suggested and Peter looked up at his dad with wide, hopeful eyes at that idea.

"It's not a fear. I'm not…" Bruce sighed. "I’m not arachnophobic. I just don't think spiders are pets and, you know, they bite."

"Dogs bite," Harley pointed out.

Bruce sighed again. "I really don't want to touch it, thank you."

"Hey, you don't have to," Tony said, wrapping an arm around Bruce's waist. Peter thought it was a little gross when they did stuff like that, just like when Natasha kissed her boyfriend, but he decided to focus his attention on petting the tarantula a few more times before the handler put him up. "I was just giving you a hard time. We all have our things. But, hey, see I told you he would be fine."

"I'm just glad I didn't come back to him having turned into Spider-man," Bruce said with a laugh.

"That would be so cool," Peter said, turning back to his dad.

"I take it you had fun?" His dad asked him with a smile.

"Tons! This has been the best birthday ever," he said excitedly.

"Well, I guess we can just skip the gift I got you and the cake right? Since this was obviously more fun than you can handle in one day," Bruce said in a serious tone.

Peter's eyes widened. "I didn't say that."

They all laughed.

 

* * *

 

Peter had to admit that _Free Willy_ was pretty interesting for an old movie, but not as interesting as the remote control car his dad had gotten him. He'd been sitting on the floor playing with it through most of the film.

And he certainly wasn't crying like someone else seemed to be. He spun around, still sitting cross legged, to see it was Jemma and their dad was trying to console her. He then saw maybe it wasn't just Jemma. Clint, Steve, Thor and Jane all dried their eyes. 

"It wasn't that sad," he said, looking at them strangely. He then looked back at Harley beside him.

Harley shrugged. "Clint always gets teary eyed. Sam does too sometimes."

"Yeah, but _Homeward Bound_ is the 90s animal movie that really gets me," Sam said in response to that. "When Peter calls for Shadow, man, that's emotional manipulation and I love it."

"Okay, that one _was_ sad," Peter admitted and not just because the boy's name in the movie was Peter.

"I cry when Shadow is actually trying to get out of the pit," Steve said.

"I cry when Sassy protects the little girl," Skye said.

Jemma started sobbing harder and they all looked at her, except Natasha who had fallen asleep with her head against Thor's shoulder.

"Yeah, Jemma cried for a good few days after we watched that one," Bruce said. "I didn't realize it was going to be too much. Sweetheart, why are you crying over _this_ movie?" He then asked.

"Be… Because," she said, sniveling, "he saved him and now he's never going to see him again."

"Well, there _is_ a sequel," Tony offered in a comforting voice.

Jemma sniveled and looked over at him. "There is?"

"Totally. And Jesse does get to see Willy again," Tony said.

"I don't remember it being very good," Bruce said.

"Eh, not as good, no," Tony replied and then looked at his watch. "But we probably could squeeze it in if it would help."

"I want to watch it," Jemma said to that. "And can I have some chamomile tea?"

"You certainly may," Bruce answered and Peter watched as his dad left with Jemma to make some. Tony followed after them.

"Well, if we're going to watch another movie," Thor said, "I think we're going to need some more popcorn."

"How can you stomach it after two pieces of cake, ice cream, dinner _and_ the popcorn we've already had?" Loki asked with a sneer.

Thor shrugged and then jumped to his feet and Natasha went falling, head landing in Sam's lap since he'd been sitting on Thor's other side. Natasha bolted awake and Peter snickered along with Harley.

"What the hell?" She grumbled and looked around.

"Hello to you too, sleeping beauty," Sam said with a laugh as he looked down at her.

Natasha pushed away with a groan. "Don't call me that."

"She's right," Steve said, but Peter thought he looked a little mad about something. "Doesn't seem to suit her."

"So what did I miss?" Natasha asked.

"Jesse freed Willy," Peter answered.

"Bet you didn't see that one coming," Pietro joked and they laughed. "Now we're watching the sequel."

"There's another one?" Natasha asked with a raised brow before dropping her head back on the couch. "Is this like an obligatory thing?"

"Jemma had a meltdown so probably," Loki answered.

"Fine," she said with an eye roll and then looked at Sam. "You were soft." She plopped back down against him. "Wake me up when it's over."

"I should just push you off onto the floor," Sam said.

"Only if you don't want to live," Natasha replied without opening her eyes.

Peter thought Steve looked even madder, but didn't really care. He decided to go back to playing with his new car. It had a spider decal on it that made it a million times more interesting than whatever his brother was mad about.

 

* * *

 

Bruce's stubble prickled at Tony's skin, adding to the intoxicating sensation, as he sucked at his collarbone with the intent of leaving a mark. "I should spoil your kids more often," Tony said with a breathy chuckle, but groaned slightly at the end when Bruce bit down on the spot.

"Not really about the spoiling," Bruce murmured against his skin before pulling back and looking down at him. "It's you getting to know my kids and making them happy," Bruce explained with a thin smile.

Tony smiled back. "Well, then, good to know this is an appropriate response to that sort of thing because I owe you a million of these," he said, glancing down in the general direction of the bruise on his skin that he couldn't actually see.

Bruce leaned down and joined their lips together in a kiss that was tender but also filled with heat. Tony moved one of his hands to cusp the back of Bruce's neck; he could feel the slight movement of Bruce's muscles as the other man's lips moved against his own.

Tony gave up control and allowed Bruce to lead the kiss, knowing he would want the same if their positions were reversed. If Bruce wanted to show his appreciation, Tony had no problems with that.

 _Definitely_ no problems with that, he thought to himself when Bruce's hand teased the hem of his sweat pants.

 

* * *

 

Loki was reading _Beowulf_ in the library when he was interrupted by a casual knock on the open door. "It isn't closed," he drawled without looking up.

"Really? Didn't notice," Skye quipped in return. Loki marked his page, closed the book and looked up at her. "Yeah, so Sam, Steve and I were going to head down to that coffee house I told you about. There's a soul band playing there tonight that Sam is like stoked to see or something." She shrugged. "I just thought you might want to join us."

"Don't want to be the third wheel?" Loki asked with a knowing smirk.

"God, no," she replied earnestly. "But I figure all the other options for a fourth wouldn't really appreciate the vibe."

"Well," Loki said smoothly, "I'll have mercy on you and tag along."

Skye rolled her eyes. "Please tell me you're going to try out for the drama club. Because I think they're doing Shakespeare."

"That was the plan," Loki indulged her as he stood to his feet to accompany her.

When they arrived, Loki quickly took in the place and its inhabitants. It was crowded, but not cramped like a Starbucks. The mood lighting was infinitely better. The seating was much more diverse with a few alcoves, some booths, individual arm chairs, tables for two and large group seating as well. There was a sort of old fashioned, organic feel to the space while also feeling hip to the modern coffee house scene; he liked the contrast.

"Nice isn't it?" Skye interrupted his appraisal.

"We had a rather nice one back at home. College town," he supplied and she seemed to get the point. "But this _is_ nice, yes," he admitted. "Although it won't mean a thing if their drinks aren't any good," he pointed out.

"Not any good? Okay, trust me, that's not a problem," she said confidently. "Come on," she urged and then practically dragged him to the ordering line. "I like everything if coffee is involved and can't decide most the time so I usually just order the house special when I come. But…"

Skye's chatter faded into a slightly annoying buzz of noise in the background when Loki caught a glimpse of the blonde haired, blue eyed girl at the register. She was taking orders quickly and with a blinding smile. Her skin was perfection. She was beautiful and yet not a frail and wispy sort of girl that most would probably think if he were to try and describe her complexion.

"Hi, Skye," The girl said and Loki blinked, realizing they were next in line and that the girls knew each other. "House special?"

"Hey," Skye said in return. "Uh, yeah. Sounds good. This is one of my dad's boyfriend's sons," Skye then said. "His name's Loki and it's his first time so…"

"Loki?" The girl said and gave him a curious glance that didn't seem judgmental rather intrigued. "As in the Norse demigod?"

"Yes," he answered. "My real name is Loren, but I go by Loki. I find it sets me apart in the theater."

"You're into theater too?" She asked with wide, blue eyes and Loki smiled in spite of himself. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be gabbing until I'm on break. Um, so, Loki, what will you have?"

Loki looked at the menu. "What would you recommend?"

"Tea or coffee?" She asked.

"Tea," he answered, even if he drank both.

"We have a tea frappe that is to kill for," she replied and he tilted his head.

"Then I'll have that," he said with another smile. "You realize the usual turn of phrase is to die for?"

"It's a nonsensical turn of phrase," she said as she rang up their order and took their payment. "If you were to die to get the drink, you would be dead and unable to enjoy it. This drink is good enough that you'd be willing to kill somebody else to get it." She smiled as she looked back up from the register again. "I hope you find the drink to your liking, Loki."

He finally glanced down at her name tag before looking back at her. "I do believe I will, Sig. Thank you."

"Great. Now I'm the spare wheel in the trunk," Skye muttered teasingly as they walked away to wait for their orders. "But you might be interested to know she's recently single."

Loki looked back toward the girl. Interesting indeed.

 

* * *

 

Loki wondered a little at how less than three weeks the two families seemed to find that in addition to their changes in surroundings and company their routines had changed greatly as well. For him and his siblings the doors were opened up to hundreds of activities and privileges while it seemed to him that their father, used to organizing schedules and keeping their whereabouts known, had stepped in as a grounding force the Starks weren't quite as accustomed to.

On week nights the end of family dinner – and Loki also wondered at how they all easily called it family dinner without blinking at the implication – had become dedicated to both fathers asking them if any of them had plans away from the house or wanted to go somewhere away from the house the following day while they were at work. Loki got the impression that during summer Tony had mostly relied on JARVIS to notify him or having them check in with him, but Bruce was more inclined to know in advance especially with so many kids to keep track of now and his concern about Peter and Jemma.

So as they sat around the table finishing their meals on a Thursday night Loki was forced to listen to everyone make up their minds as to whether they wanted to leave the Stark palace, as he referred to it dryly, the next day. It was already decided that Clint was going to take Pietro, Harley and Peter to the beach. Loki had no interest in that as he typically burned like a lobster. And Thor, according to them, had talked Sam and Steve into giving football tryouts a shot – although Loki knew that Sam was the one who got Steve to give in on Steve's condition that Sam try out too.

Natasha was next to discuss her plans. "Tomorrow is open tryouts for that ballet school I'm interested in."

"Do I need to be there for that?" Bruce asked.

Natasha shrugged. "It didn't say anything. Probably not since it's just tryouts. If they accept me then there'll probably be paperwork."

"Well, best of luck, but I know you'll do fine," Bruce said.

Loki could be cruel and point out that there was sure to be stiffer competition in New York than Virginia, but decided to hold his tongue. Natasha was already on edge as apparently some of her friends from their old school had called her about homecoming, which Loki thought was ridiculous as school hadn't even started yet.

"Seeing as I have no interest whatsoever in trying out for cheerleading," Skye started with a roll of her eyes, "I'm going to just chill here."

Jane and Darcy quickly agreed to the notion of staying at home. Loki wasn't sure he would call the place 'home' yet himself, but he knew Jane did. Still, he was about to speak a similar sentiment when Wanda spoke up first.

"I want to take Scarlet out for a long ride tomorrow," the girl said. "I checked the weather and it's supposed to rain Saturday and Sunday. I don't like taking her on muddy trails." She grimaced even as she said it.

Loki tilted his head, considering. He wondered if he might not ask to tag along with her. She was one of the more preferable Starks to hang out with and he still hadn't had a chance to see the stables where she housed her horse.

"Hey, Loki, maybe you'd like to go with her?" Tony asked before he had to make the effort. "They have day long training sessions if you're interested."

"I might be," he hedged. He didn't particularly like the process of learning new things as it meant being vulnerable and incompetent, but it _was_ something he wanted to learn.

"Well, if you like it enough the first session, we can probably get you set up with Wanda's instructor," Tony continued casually.

"I want to see the horses, daddy," Jemma suddenly said and looked at their father.

"Ah, I don't know…" Bruce started in that concerned way of his.

"You know," Wanda intervened, "I was about Jemma's age when I started formal lessons, but it's dependent on coordination and ability to follow very careful instruction. I think Jemma would be fine with that, but they have a junior instructor who will gauge that and if she's not ready for lessons she can still do some lead riding to prepare her for lessons later if she's interested."

"Okay," Bruce said, "I only understood half of that." He chuckled softly.

"She's just saying they do this for a living and they take very good care of the kids who come to them," Tony responded. "Jemma would be perfectly safe, but we can take her another day when we're actually able to go along," he offered."You wouldn't be the first dad to be a little wary of putting their little princess on a horse." Tony looked at Wanda as if to make his point clearer.

"He was a nervous wreck," Wanda said to that. "Mom…" Her sentence trailed and she picked at what was left on her plate with her fork.

"Maya insisted we let her learn," Tony explained. "Insisted I was being paranoid. And…" Tony paused before finishing, "she insisted we buy her a horse for her... her birthday..."

Loki saw his father's eyes widen as he looked at Tony. Loki glanced quickly at Tony in time to see him nod, expression set in a soft frown. Loki then looked back at Wanda and saw there were tears brimming in her eyes even though she seemed keen to hide it. Loki could only guess that her horse was a bittersweet reminder of her mother. He hadn't the privilege of knowing his mother and his father had clearly not wanted him or Thor, but Loki liked to believe his mother would have done everything to take care of them had she lived.

"I would like to go," Loki offered. "I would like to at the very least see this special horse of Wanda's." Wanda looked up at him with a small smile. Loki then looked at his father. "And I can watch Jemma if she at least wants to look at the horses or ride the ponies," he offered.

His father blinked several times – Loki was self-aware enough to know his offer surprised him as he was not naturally altruistic – and Jemma looked on with hopeful eyes.

"Okay, I think I'm fine with that," Bruce said slowly. Then he weighed his head back and forth. "And I guess if the junior instructor wants to gauge her readiness for formal lessons, I'm okay with that too. But they won't take her out on an open trail to do that right?"

"No, just a corral for all perspective riders under ten," Wanda replied, clearing her throat before she did. "Loki will probably get a small trail ride."

"You know," Skye suddenly interjected. "Sig's cousin owns the stables. She works there too as one of the junior instructors." She looked at him with a sly smile.

 

* * *

 

"Your horse is aptly named," Loki said as Wanda showed him how to groom a horse at the end of her ride and his lesson. The instructor had allowed her to take the lead on this particular part of the instruction and Loki got the impression the instructor was testing her to see if she would make for a good junior instructor herself.

"Thank you," Wanda said. "She's a chestnut. Her registered name for showing is Scarlet Witch."

"Scarlet Witch," Loki repeated. It was an unusual name. "I like that," he decided. "So you show her yourself?"

"Not yet," she answered. "I'm learning and hope to have her in some shows next year. What about you? Did you enjoy your lesson? Do you think horses are for you?"

Loki gave a considering look at the horse as they finished with the grooming. "I think so," he said with an earnest smile.

"Well, if you ever buy a horse you should name him Sleipnir." Loki turned to see Sig was the source of the comment. She was walking slowly toward them, Jemma at her side.

"Clever," Loki replied to her joke. "It would be rather fitting."

"Loki!" Jemma bounded over to him and tugged at his arm. "Sig let me ride without holding the leadline! Loki's eyes widened and he spared a glance at Wanda to see her looking around guiltily.

"It was only for thirty seconds," Sig said in a reassuring tone. "She wasn't in any danger. It's just a necessity for me to gauge her comfort level of holding the reigns independently."

"Still," Loki said cautiously, "I do think we should keep this a secret between us, Jemma. I don't believe father would be very happy. At the very least, I was with you the _whole_ time."

"Okay," she responded and Loki hoped she would be true to her word.

 

* * *

 

"I don't think I've ever cooked for this many people at once," Bruce said with a laugh as he talked to Sam's dad.

"Well, at least you have an assembly line to help you," the Colonel said in reference to Loki, Natasha and Clint who were at the table prepping a mountain of ribs with dry rub for the Labor Day barbecue that Tony put on for some select employees and the Board of his company.

Loki rolled his eyes. "He realizes we can hear him, yes?"

Clint shook his head. "With Uncle Rhodey, who knows?"

"So, while I've finally got your ear without any risk of interruption," Rhodey started after a few moments of quiet and he pitched his voice a little lower which only made Loki strain his ears to listen in. "I've been meaning to talk to you about my son and yours."

Loki saw the knowing look Clint and Natasha gave one another. So it seemed _everybody_ was probably aware of the thing that was happening there.

"Sam and Steve?" Bruce asked casually. "Uh, yeah. It seems they've become really great friends."

Loki nearly gave an audible groan. Well, almost everybody. He looked at Natasha and she gave him a meaningful look. He was the only one of their family who knew she was asexual so it probably wasn't all that surprising their father hadn't picked up on cues between the two boys. In fact, Loki could easily imagine Tony had probably had to make the first move in Germany to make his interest apparent.

"…all Sam has really talked about the past few months," Rhodey was saying when Loki started listening again. "But I have a pretty good feeling my son likes your son a little more than what's friendly, Dr. Banner."

"You…" Bruce started, disbelief clear in his voice. "You think Sam has a crush on Steve?"

"I do. I think if Steve were to ask him out point blank Sam would probably be over the moon. That's how confident I am." Rhodey paused. "Not that I don't understand. I've maybe been paying extra close attention to Steve to see what he's like. Seems like a great kid. But I obviously can't make a call on what your son's feeling. He could legitimately only see my son as a friend and not suspect a thing and I know Sam won't do anything to make him uncomfortable if he thinks… Well, I'm sure you understand what I mean."

"I do," Bruce said solemnly. Then after a pregnant pause, "Oh my god, I… I don't even know. I suddenly feel like a horrible father. You were able to figure out your son's feelings by phone and I'm…"

Loki smirked when Natasha shrugged as if to say, _well_.

"Hey, no judgment here," Rhodey said in response to their father's slight meltdown. "You have seven. I only have one. So you're not sure where Steve stands then?"

"I'm sorry, I don't. I know he was into this girl back home, but that never went anywhere because he's… He's always seemed a little unsure with the whole dating thing. So I never really pried or pressured him about his crush. I… I'll keep a closer eye out now though." Bruce paused and then asked, "Are you concerned about my son being here? In the same house? Because if it's a problem, I can—"

"No, no," Rhodey responded and Loki was a little surprised to find he was reassured by that. "You're fine. Sam's old enough to handle it until I get back."

"Okay, but… if it's mutual? Then what?"

"Well, I guess that partly depends on what you're okay with," Rhodey answered. "It also probably depends on if they figure it out before I'm back," he added with a laugh.

Clint snorted.

"Gezundheit," Natasha said casually.

"Thanks," Clint said just as casually and they all three continued with the subterfuge of not listening.

"Look, Dr. Banner. If it's mutual there's probably not much we can do besides lay down some rules since the shared house thing makes it a little unusual, but honestly it doesn't bother me since it's not like you and I are the ones in a relationship here."

"Hey," Tony came bounding in at that moment. "Can I borrow Loki for a moment?" Loki looked at him curiously.

"Uh, yeah, I'm sure the other two can manage without him," Bruce answered with a gleam in his eyes.

Loki wondered at that, but shrugged and went over to one of the sinks to wash his hands. He then followed Tony to wherever it was he was needed. To his surprise, Tony only led him to the living room that was currently empty.

"So, not even I with all my powers of persuasion could convince your dad to let me buy you a horse," Tony began without segue way.

"I wasn't aware I asked for one," Loki said dryly.

"No, but I was under the impression you've been enjoying your little trips to the stables the past week. Or is it exclusively to flirt with Sig?" He asked with a raised brow. "Because if so let me know. No judgment here," he said, holding up his hands in surrender. Loki didn't answer. " _But_ if you're interested in riding I found an alternative your dad isn't against."

Loki tweaked his jaw slightly and then looked at him curiously. "I'm listening," he said casually.

"A horse at the stable just became available for lease a few months ago. He won't be yours technically," Tony explained, clucking his tongue a little, "but he'll be yours to care for, ride and receive instruction with for the duration of the lease. If you're interested."

Loki swallowed his pride and smiled. "I am," he admitted.

"Alright, well, then I'll talk to the stable master and get it worked out. And just between you and me," Tony said then, "I'll keep working on your dad about getting you your own. When's your birthday?"

Loki blinked several times. "February. Uh, the ninth," he answered, a little taken off guard by everything.

"Huh, right before the twins. Good to know. I think that's plenty of time to bring your dad around if you're still interested by then. No promises it won't be a belated gift, but we'll see," Tony gabbled and Loki gave a soft laugh.

"You certainly have a lot of faith in your relationship with my dad lasting." Loki gave him a calculating look before further indulging his good will. "I hope you're right. I'm starting to get used to our weird little army."

Tony smiled broadly. "Well, this wasn't a bribe to get you in my corner, but hey I'll take it."

 

* * *

 

"See, I had no doubt you would make the starting team," Sam said to Steve, the sound of pool balls clacking together punctuating his statement.

Bruce took advantage of Peter's long chain of plays in their game of Pac-Man to shamelessly observe the two older boys' game of pool. He was starting to see the cues from Sam that made him suspect Rhodey was right while he looked for similar cues from Steve, hoping he knew enough about his son to know his tells when it came to these matters.

"I think I'd rather be backup," Steve responded with his easygoing smile as he moved to stand just beside Sam to set up his next shot. "Less pressure."

"Yeah, but cheerleaders don't date the backup," Sam said and Bruce wondered if he was phishing for Steve's dating interests.

As for Steve, he fumbled at the comment, backing away slightly from his shot when he almost dropped the cue stick. That was an interesting reaction.

"Uh," Steve stammered, "I think I'd live. I'm not really the cheerleader type." Bruce knew that much about his son to be true. Steve then glanced behind him quickly before taking his shot. "I take it you're the cheerleader type then?" He asked standing back up so that he and Sam were touching shoulders, neither looking at each other but the table instead. Bruce's eyes widened and finally he began to wonder.

"Uh, no," Sam answered, not moving. "Not really."

Bruce saw the precise moment Steve hesitated before taking whatever plunge he had in mind which turned out to be his turning his head slightly and asking as casually as he seemed to be able to manage, "So what is your type?"

Bruce brought his hand up to his mouth in realization as he continued to spy on their obvious moment. Sam turned his head slightly as well to meet Steve's gaze and his answer to Steve's question was clearly written all over his face. _You, Steve_ , Bruce's mind filled in the blanks. Sam opened his mouth no doubt to stammer out some kind of response, if the slight hesitation was any indication, when the boy was saved by the bell. Or, in this case, an AI.

_It is 8:50 p.m. All Starks and Banners under thirteen, please begin to prepare for bed. The rest, this is your first warning to finish whatever you are doing._

Peter groaned at that. "Up, go on. Sorry, Peter," Bruce said sympathetically. Reluctantly he got up and Bruce did too, not having any excuse to stay.

However, Bruce lingered at the door of the rec room. He was watching as the boys hurriedly returned to their game before their own lights out alarm when Tony passed by. The billionaire stopped with a curious glance.

"Spying are we?" He whispered.

Bruce shooed him away from the room and down the hall. After a few moments of walking in silence he said, "They almost had a moment."

Tony stopped beside him. "So it's mutual then?

"Seems like it."

"Well, this should be interesting."

Bruce sighed. "I just don't know why I didn't see it sooner. It makes me wonder what else I'm missing. I told myself I would never harass my kids about their crushes and certainly not their orientations, but now I'm wondering if I've been too hands off." He looked at Tony, his brow creasing in concern. "What if they don't trust me enough to come to me about this stuff because they think I'm not interested?"

Tony sighed next. "I don't know the answer to that. I'm probably floundering in that department too. I couldn't begin to tell you if any of my kids have crushes. Well, except Wanda. Pretty sure she has a very improbable crush that I really don't know what to do with," Tony said with a wince. Bruce tilted his head curiously. "JARVIS," Tony said silently, covering his mouth to hold in a laugh at the end.

Bruce couldn't help his own laugh. "Yeah, okay, you win. I think I'd rather be oblivious in your shoes. This was unexpected, but that… Yeah, I don't know what you can do with that either. Sorry."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. I've never written Sigyn before so she's probably way off in this story and it's been a while since I've read any comics with her. Sorry.  
> 2\. It's not explicit, but timeline wise the birthday that Wanda received her horse is supposed to have been the last one that Maya was alive :'(  
>  ~~3\. Wanda as Tony's kid and having a crush on JARVIS is like 98% of the reason I wrote this fic. I just wanted it to be a thing.~~  
>  4\. For all his good parenting, I couldn't resist a little bit of oblivious!Bruce <3


	16. Days in the Lives of Skye and Natasha

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Views on hacktivism are not necessarily my own or intended to be a definite statement regarding the good and bad of the movement. 
> 
> tw for slurs against/discussion of surrogacy (more specifically implied same-sex surrogacy) and discussion of homophobia

Skye was pretty sure her first week of high school could go down in the record books for worst first weeks and it wasn't even a _full_ week. School had started on Wednesday and it was Friday and yet she found herself sitting in the discipline office with Vice Principal Hill breathing down her neck as she waited for her dad to show up. Already she missed Principal Coulson.

She glanced over at her now very _ex_ -friend, Miles before turning away again and rolling her eyes. The boy had decided that their personal tech club – she, him, and a few others – should make a name for themselves and show off their hacking skills in a big way at the high school and hopefully catch the eyes of the high school hacktivist underground. So he had hacked the school server and published everybody's final grades from the previous year on the school website – and then had the audacity to list her and the others as accomplices.

"Ms. Hill," Principal Fury's voice barked through the intercom. "Send Miles to me; his mother is here." Skye glared at him as he left.

When she looked forward again, Hill was looking at her and shaking her head. "Principal Coulson says that you're a good kid."

"I am," Skye protested.

"Good kids don't—"

"I didn't do anything," she said before the vice principal could finish. "Sure, I believe in hacktivism, but only if it's for a good cause. Miles might think he was trying to expose which students might be getting special privilege, but what he really did was humiliate tons of students who never wanted their grades to be known to their friends. I'm not okay with that and I'm not okay that he tried to involve me and my other friends."

"So you're really sticking with the story that it was a lone gun act?" Hill asked with narrowed eyes. "You and your friends may be letting him take the rap," she pointed out.

"Yeah, we could be," Skye didn't argue. "But we're not. I haven't even spoken with him or the others since last year. In case you didn't notice, my family's been a little busy lately. And what about IT? Are they trying to trace the hack or at least isolate the time it went live? He might have tried to cover it, but I doubt it because he wanted everyone to know it was our club."

Hill tapped her fingers against the desk a few times before picking up the school phone. She hit a button and then held the receiver to her ear. "Vice Principal Hill. Tell me, are we working on tracing the hack or isolating any of the details about its purpose. Oh?" Hill glanced at her. "Right. Okay, thank you."

"Hope that was good news," Skye said earnestly.

"That remains to be determined. But your father arrived a half an hour ago and Principal Fury sent him to help IT get to the bottom of it," Hill explained.

Skye gave a very big sigh. "Thank goodness. If anyone can trace it dad can. And then hopefully it'll prove me and my real friends are innocent."

"Maybe," Hill semi-indulged. "But, Skye, do you really think the others are your friends? What happens when this happens again?" Suddenly the vice principal looked up and past Skye towards the door.

Skye turned to see Dr. Banner standing there. "Vice Principal Hill, do you think I could have a few moments alone with Skye?"

Hill didn't particularly look like she wanted to indulge the request, but she stood to her feet slowly. "I'm going to make a quick round of the halls. You have until I return," she clipped before leaving.

"I'm surprised you're here too," Skye said weakly as her dad's boyfriend pulled over one of the student chairs and sat down near her.

"Your dad wanted support I think," Bruce replied to that with a small laugh. "And we were going to leave a little early anyways to pick up Jemma and take her to _American Girl_ as a surprise for her birthday."

"Aww," Skye said with a genuine smile.

"So, you know, Ms. Hill is right," Bruce then said before she could even blink. "I won't patronize you. I know that you know you're at an age when you need to pick your friends carefully."

"I really didn't know he was going to do that," Skye said firmly.

"I believe you. So does your dad. But Fury told me all about the little hacktivist underground and I just want to advise you to think long and hard about your involvement." Bruce paused and looked at the hands folded in his lap. "I know what it's like to want to do good, but feeling like you can't. I'm also very aware of what your friend—"

"Ex-friend," Skye said bitterly.

"Okay, what he's going through. Wanting to prove yourself or make a name for yourself? I know how all of that feels and I also know how very real the consequences are if you get in over your head or do it for the wrong reasons."

"Really?" Skye looked at him curiously. He didn't seem like a man who would know that sort of thing.

"My life hasn't been easy, Skye," he told her seriously. "Maybe I'll share the story with you sometime in the future, but the point is I made bad choices for selfish reasons when I was younger – not unlike your ex-friend. Then when I was older I made bad choices for reasons I thought were good, but ultimately nearly hurt people in the process."

"Don't you think that there's a worth in exposing things and making information available?" She asked him testily.

"Sure," Bruce said easily. "But do I think that _you_ are ready to take that on? No. And I don't mean that to be condescending, I really don't. I only mean that you're still growing and developing your own moral code and now's the time to figure out who you are and effect change in the ways that don't involve you landing in a juvenile holding cell."

Skye felt her face pale. She hated to admit it, but the idea of getting caught didn't appeal to her.

"And you know, some might think that you have no right to fight for people when you come from privilege and power," he pointed out when she didn't respond. "Your father swears that you're brilliant at tech and I believe him. And what I've seen in the past few months is a girl with a lot of heart and conviction. You want to change the world?"

"Yeah, of course," Skye said quickly.

"That's great. It needs change," he encouraged her with one of his smiles. They were so different from her dad's and yet they were just as nice and conveyed a lot somehow. "But don't lose sight of ethics along the way," he continued and she bit her lip, remembering her mom. "You may think hacktivism is a necessary evil and in some cases I would agree with you, but maybe there are other ways to change the power imbalance and fight to get information out there that nobody has thought of. Maybe the world is just waiting for you to look at it from a new angle."

"I wish I knew how. I feel like I don't have anything to offer that hasn't already been done and I'm just trying to do what I can," Skye said earnestly.

"I know. It's hard. You're 14 and it's true that some of the greatest movements have been by people your age, but that's because they found something worth fighting for. Do you have something specific you're fighting for? Do you really have a connection with the people who are affected for good or for bad by what hacktivist groups stand for?"

Skye thought about it long and hard, eyes narrow and brow furrowed as she looked down at the desk in front of her. "I don't know," she finally admitted. "I know that what Miles did isn't what I'm fighting for. I mean it's not fair when teachers favor certain students, but what was published doesn't prove anything or change anything. It doesn't feel like the necessary evil was worth it."

"You know, there are millions of people who believe weapons are a necessary evil to protect the world." Skye's eyes widened in understanding. "But your dad dared to say maybe that's not true. He dared to say maybe the world had been hurt enough by necessary evil and that the real path forward is through—"

"A warm light for all mankind to share," Skye finished his statement with a small nod. "He looked for a different angle. He decided to find a different way to protect the world. I think I get it."

"I hope you do, Miss Stark," Fury suddenly interrupted. They both turned to see him and her dad in the doorway. "Because I think you have potential and I'd hate to see you waste it getting caught up in petty things when there's a bigger world out there."

Fury moved into the room as did Tony. Bruce stood and moved the chair back to where it had been and went to stand next to her dad. Skye smiled at the way her dad smiled at Bruce before turning her attention back to the principal.

"Look, I'm sorry, Principal Fury. I wish I could say I would have stopped him if I had known, but I can't. I just know I do feel bad for what happened," she said genuinely.

"I'm inclined to believe you. And your dad and our team tracked it back to his personal laptop."

Skye blinked. "Really? He used his personal laptop?"

"Yes and you should be grateful for that," Tony warned her and she nodded.

"Because I'm going to let you and your other friends off the hook this time with a few exceptions," Fury stated and gave her a hard gaze. "One, you will all be under a tech ban for three weeks. You will not be allowed into the tech labs after school hours and if I catch you with your phone out on school property even at lunch you had better be having an emergency or there will be consequences. Two, if this happens again, I will not be merciful. So choose your battles and your friends wisely, Miss Stark because I have the potential to make your life here at S.H.I.E.L.D. difficult if you make mine difficult. Are we clear?"

Skye sighed, but nodded.

 

* * *

 

Skye shook her head as she looked at the two men in the seat across from her. If she had known getting out of school early would involve watching her dad attempt to accost Dr. Banner she might have elected to stay.

"Tony, stop," Bruce said with a small laugh, poking Tony in his side when he started kissing the spot just below his ear.

It was the third time in the short drive from the high school to the K-8 Academy. The first two times Bruce had indulged her dad, but now he seemed to be getting a little embarrassed given Skye's presence.

"Yeah, dad. Getting a little weird here," Skye teased.

"Sorry, he's just very hard to resist right now," Tony said with a smirk, but pulled back since they had reached Jemma's school.

Bruce gave him a fondly exasperated look before pecking him on the lips and getting out of the company SUV to go get his youngest daughter.

"You seem really happy with him," Skye said conversationally. Obviously he was if he'd invited the man and his kids to move in, but he seemed even happier now that Bruce was around all the time.

"I am," Tony said easily before fixing her with a fatherly look. "But a lot of things make me happy. And it would make me happy if you make good on your promise to Principal Fury not to get involved with the hacktivists. I know you mean well. I really do, but you're thinking small here, Skye."

"Yeah, kind of already had this pep talk from Dr. B, no offense," she deflected.

"And it was brilliant from what I heard of it," Tony said with a slightly goofy grin and suddenly she was uncomfortably aware of why her dad was currently a little hot under the collar for the other man. She made a pointed effort to ignore the weirdness of parents for the time being. "So let's skip the pep talk and move straight to your dad stepping in with a solution. Or an alternative if you will." She raised her brow questioningly. "What is it that you need to channel this, hmm? Let's talk about your interests. What is it that you want to do and what resources do you need to do it?"

Skye blinked several times, taken off guard by his questions. She was used to her dad giving them whatever they needed, but he seemed to be challenging her to try and accomplish something she wanted with those resources rather than it being a recreational pursuit. It echoed Dr. Banner's question of what she felt like fighting for.

She looked down and considered it again. "I'll probably have to think about it, but… I know I want to make a difference. Like you, and mom and Dr. Banner. Or all of the people at…" Her eyes widened. "I want to work on something for the next Junior Tech conference."

Tony smiled. "I'd love to see that happen, Skye. And I feel a little like I've held you back with my paranoia and aversion to the conference scene," he said with a sigh.

"I don't blame you," she said earnestly. She then shrugged. "I never even considered it before. But now I really want to start contributing somehow. I mean, I want to do more than that. I want to help people in other ways, but I know that I want to at least do that. And I want to contribute in a way that challenges people to think long and hard about _how_ we're using tech and what impact we're really leaving."

"It's not an easy road," her dad said knowingly and with a hint of something sad in his voice, "but it's the right road and I know it's one that you can take because you have the courage for it."

"Thanks, dad," Skye said with a smile just as one of the doors opened again and Jemma hopped in, followed by Bruce.

"Hey there, Birthday Princess," Tony said with an eager smile as the girl settled into the seat next to Skye.

"Hi, Tony," Jemma replied and then looked up at Skye. "Hi, Skye! Are you coming too? Daddy says it's a birthday surprise."

"I am," Skye said cheerfully. "And it's such a magical birthday surprise that I just _had_ to tag along too." Skye then smirked at the two men. "Because our dads would have been way out of their depth if they didn't take along back up to where we're going."

Tony sighed and then looked at Bruce. "She's probably right. Took Darcy there once three years back. Had to call Pepper and Happy to come bail me out."

"The sad thing is, he's telling the truth," Skye said and Bruce laughed a little at her dad's expense.

"You laugh now, Dr. Banner. But you just wait," Tony replied with impishly narrowed eyes. "You'll see."

Skye laughed because she had to take her dad's side on that one.

 

* * *

 

"I swear, Ms. May already has it out for me," Skye complained around a bite of strawberry cake. "What did you do to make her hate Starks, Clint?"

"What are you talking about?" Clint shot her an incredulous glance. "May totally loved me. Thought I was a joy to have in class or whatever other canned response they use. She's just stern." He shrugged.

"I'd say cold," Skye muttered.

The sounds of Tchaikovsky suddenly filled the space around them and they all looked at Natasha as she pulled out her phone. "It's James. Can I take this?"

"I guess," Bruce replied.

"Hey you," Natasha said in answer to the call. "Okay, hold up. Hey, Jemma, James says happy birthday."

"Thank you, James!" Jemma called loudly.

"Did you hear?" Natasha asked. "Yeah?"

"Hey, that reminds me," Bruce said as Natasha continued to talk on the phone. "We're going to call Leo after we're done here."

"Really!?" The girl's eyes widened.

"Of course," her dad replied. "Don't you want to thank him for the nice bear he got you?"

Skye smiled as she looked down the table at where the little girl immediately looked down at the bear that sat on her lap along with her new American Girl doll.

"He didn't just get it for me," Jemma protested as if offended. "He built it. Just for me," she beamed.

"She's got you there," Skye agreed. "Building a bear is so much more special. And he made it a scientist bear for her and everything. He must be a very good friend," she said.

"My best friend," Jemma said decidedly before taking a bite of her own piece of cake. “And we're going to be friends forever,” she added matter-of-factly. “He promised.”

“Wow, that's a very serious promise,” Clint said in a tone as if he were awed by her comment. “Promises like that usually need to be sealed with a kiss. Or at least a pinky promise,” Skye's older brother said with a straight face.

“Oh, I did kiss him,” Jemma said plainly.

Bruce choked on his cake and quickly took a drink as they all, except Natasha and Jemma, laughed.

“Okay there, Brucey?” Tony asked him teasingly as he patted him on the back, since they were seated beside each other and Jemma was at one of the end seats instead.

“Um, yeah. What do you mean you kissed him?” Bruce looked at his daughter in shock.

“I kissed him on the cheek,” Jemma replied and Skye thought she sounded very nonplussed about it.

“Oh,” Bruce said.

“Crisis averted,” Sam joked.

“For now,” Skye added just as Natasha pushed violently away from the table beside her and left, still on the phone. “What was that about?”

“Homecoming," Steve answered with a sigh, picking slightly at his cake with his fork. Skye looked at him in confusion.

"Our sister is upset that she won't be able to go with her boyfriend," Thor supplied although Skye had gathered that much. She just assumed that would have always been the case so Natasha should have been over it by now.

"It would have been their first dance," Loki elaborated with a roll of his eyes. "School board voted on a ban of freshmen at prom at our old school. Not even allowed by invitation."

"A decision I was very okay with," Bruce chimed in.

"Sometimes it confuses me that she's not a junior here," Clint said. "There are juniors who haven't turned 16 yet," he pointed out.

"Just because our cutoff date is the end of the year they're born in," Tony pointed out. "Most are in, what, September?"

"Some earlier," Bruce replied.

"Ouch," Skye said as she contemplated it. She hadn't thought one way or another about it previously. "Must suck being the oldest in the classroom."

"Maybe I should ask her about that," Bruce commented, the statement directed at Tony. Then he looked at them again. "So when's your homecoming."

"Weekend after next," Steve answered.

"Any of you have dates?" Tony then asked them with a smirk.

"Loki probably would if he asked Sig," Skye teased him.

"You're assuming I even want to go," Loki said coolly and she shrugged.

"Whatever. Supposedly Grant Ward wants to ask me," Skye offered conversationally, "but that's way too much pressure for my first homecoming. I'm fine with doing the friend thing."

"Your dad is fine with that too," Tony said and she scrunched her nose at him. "So are you all going to do the friend group thing then? I mean there're certainly enough of you," he pointed out with a laugh.

"Well, I have no date unless Bobbi comes around so, yeah, guess the friend thing," Clint said.

"Yeah, no date here either," Steve said next. "And it's not like I have an option of not going," he said with a shake of his head.

"Aww, is being football star getting you down?" Clint said with an exaggerated pout.

"A little," Steve answered with a small laugh.

"Really, Steve? Nobody _at all_ you want to ask?" Skye asked him with a smirk and raised brow before taking the last bite of her cake.

Steve looked flustered for all of five seconds before shooting her a meaningful look. "Oh, yeah, you're right. There is someone." Everybody's eyes widened, and Skye didn't miss the quick glance that passed between their dads. Steve fixed her with a sickeningly sweet smile. "Skye, would you like to go to homecoming with me?"

"Ugh," she groaned. She rolled her eyes and threw her napkin at him. "You're hilarious."

 

* * *

 

Tony had a holographic screen projected in front of his desk as he looked over the schematic for Bruce's water filtration system. The physicist wasn't an engineer by trade, but he clearly knew enough about it for the proposed model to be sound enough that it was worth investing in developing a working prototype.

"Thoughts?" Bruce prompted.

"Several," Tony replied. Then he swiped the screen to the left so he had a clear view to leer at Bruce. "But you said office sex was off limits."

"Actually, I believe I said within business hours," Bruce corrected him nonchalantly.

"Yes, but half the thrill is being found out within business hours," Tony bantered back.

"Not everyone would call that a thrill," Bruce said with a slight shake of his head.

"But seriously, Bruce," Tony said, returning to the schematic without any detriment to the conversation being done by their bantering – which was one of the things he loved about how they worked. "You're brilliant. How long have you been sitting on this one?" He studied his boyfriend with slight suspicion as he stood and came around his desk to lean against it.

"CalTech," Bruce answered with a hitch of his shoulder.

"That's a crime," Tony said with a sharp point of his finger. "Seriously, that should be illegal. All of the people who denied you funding should be jailed for not giving money to you."

"Okay, Sherriff of Nottingham," Bruce said teasingly. "Sure I would have liked to have had a working model sooner, but maybe it's for the best. Science and tech have advanced by leaps and bounds since then and there are so many things I was able to adjust to hopefully work better because of it." He then smiled up at him. "Besides, we've been through this. There weren't many companies that would have seen it beyond a bottom line and that might have damaged the philanthropic nature of it. I don't think that's the case anymore."

Tony returned the smile before leaning forward and placing both hands on either arm of the chair Bruce sat in. "Definitely not a problem there," he promised. "By the way, did I mention I'm having several thoughts right now?"

"Hmm. You _might_ have mentioned it," Bruce answered coyly.

Tony kissed him long and slow. Bruce tasted of one of those earthy teas he liked rather than coffee today, probably because it wasn't Monday, and his skin had a hint of lab smell that was more intoxicating than it had any business being. Why waste money on expensive cologne when all you needed was to work in a sterile room with chemicals all day?

"I never get tired of kissing you," Tony murmured before angling his head to the other side and pushing his tongue into Bruce's mouth with a well-practiced ease.

"This kind of fraternization is strictly prohibited during business hours."

Tony groaned as he pulled away from Bruce to see Pepper standing in the doorway with an impish gleam in her eyes.

"Killjoy. This had better be important. I was in the middle of seducing my boyfriend."

"Oh is that what was happening here?" Bruce asked archly. "I thought I was seducing you with my brilliant schematic."

Tony beamed. "Aha, so it isn't completely off limits after all, huh Doctor? You were just playing hard to get."

"You two are adorable, really," Pepper interrupted cheerfully before her face set into a hard line. "But, yes, this is important. I've checked with PR and they're already aware and working on it, but…" Pepper gestured toward the television.

Tony furrowed his brow but turned toward his desk and grabbed the remote before turning it on. It came on to a grid view of multiple news, media and business report stations. He scanned the smaller screens before noticing a familiar face.

"Is that…?" Bruce started.

Tony tuned to the channel which dealt with media and celebrities. "…and the General seems to be taking issue with anyone who could trust Dr. Banner with his kids let alone someone else's. Our source has also quoted Ross as saying: 'The man is unstable, violent and a criminal. It is a sad day for our country that a man like him was allowed to adopt let alone pass along his own genetics in a way that is unnatural and a blemish on this nation.' This comes on the tail of last week's spotting of Dr. Banner and billionaire Tony Stark with two of their daughters at American Girl Place. The internet has gone wild with fans of the new couple fawning over the impromptu visit, sources saying it was for the youngest Banner daughter's birthday, as well as finally getting a good glimpse of one of the elusive Banner children. Meanwhile critics have taken them to task for pulling either girl out of school early and for promoting the American Girl brand—"

Tony turned off the television and set aside the remote. "Ridiculous. Sensationalism," Tony argued immediately. "There were tons of girls Jemma's age there for birthday parties and lunch reservations."

"I don't think that's the issue here, Tony," Pepper countered.

"What? Ross?" Tony scoffed. "I'm more concerned about what people are saying about our kids. Ross took a potshot at surrogacy. That's enough of a reason for no one to take his statements seriously."

"I don't know," Bruce said ruefully. "Surrogacy is a hotbed issue right now. More so than when I had Jane and Jemma. I love my daughters and wouldn't have done anything differently because then they wouldn't be who they are today, but in retrospect I can see both sides of the coin."

"He's right," Pepper agreed. "Ross is a man who seems like he has a vendetta and he's using a hotbed topic to turn some of the population against you rather than taking the anti-gay stance."

"Not that he isn't," Bruce pointed out and Tony felt himself get angry, wondering at any of the things Ross might have said to him. "But if anyone's unstable, it's him. I'm not…" He sighed. "Look, I'm not perfect and I'll be the first to point out that technically he's not wrong. I do have a juvenile criminal record and have been treated for violent hysteria. But Ross' reputation really took a hit from what happened in New Mexico and he blames me because he tried to throw me under the bus and I wouldn't let him. He does have a vendetta," he said, looking back and forth between them. "He's tried to have me reported before. He's had me investigated enough times by the state that finally the state asked me if I thought it was malicious since obviously every investigation proved that I was still a fit parent. So I felt the need to get a restraining order against him just in case."

Tony looked at Pepper. "Would this violate a restraining order?" He pointed at the television to refer to the general's comments.

"We can bring it up to legal," she said. "But it sounds to me like now that Dr. Banner is in the limelight, he's taking his chances that he can use the sensationalism you mentioned to get more invasive investigations going. I'm sure PR will have some counter measures lined up before the day is done."

"I'm sorry, Bruce," Tony said earnestly, moving over to place a hand on his shoulder. "We'll fix this. The asshole won't get his way."

"It's not your fault. He's been a thorn in my side since I met Betty. This doesn't really surprise me. And… I feel a little bit better knowing that you have a team that can help me handle it."

"Even if the reason you having access to that team is partly why the General reared his ugly head again?" Tony asked in genuine concern.

"Even if," Bruce reassured him.

 

* * *

 

Natasha closed her locker perhaps a little more aggressively than was necessary, but if she heard about Homecoming one more damn time… As if it wasn't enough that her dad and Tony were taking her and Skye to look at dresses after school and to let the boys get dress suits. Well, Skye would be looking at dresses. Natasha and James had agreed that neither of them would go if they couldn't go together.

"Hey, moody," Sam said, leaning up against her locker as he often did during this passing period since they were in the same part of the school. "Still moping about Homecoming?"

"I don't know, are you?" She clipped and he threw up his hands in surrender.

"Look, our situations aren't the same and you know it," he said as he crossed his arms. "But you never struck me as the angst over a guy type."

She sighed. He had her there. A year ago she would have balked over her current state of mind and just gone and had a good time.

"I'm not usually. James is just different. And it would have been nice to at least have one dance with him in case this long distance thing doesn't work." James was a senior after all and no matter how special James was, she wasn't naïve enough to think it would work once he went off to college.

"You know, this mopey thing isn't a good look on you, Red. I'm about to ask you to Homecoming myself," he said in humor.

She gave him an intentionally demure smile. "Thanks, but you don't do it for me."

Sam laughed and pushed off the lockers. "Yeah and I think you know the feeling's mutual."

"Unless this is an effort to make Steve jealous," she smirked and raised an arched brow. "In that case I accept. And I'm pretty sure James wouldn't mind that kind of exception."

"Haha," Sam said with a roll of his eyes. "I'm not interested in making Steve jealous." Natasha flicked her eyes past him briefly to see the other boy in question was already radiating jealously as he came to meet Sam for their next class, which they had together.

"Hey, guys," Steve said when he finally approached them and Sam looked panic stricken for a second, no doubt wondering if Steve had heard any of their conversation. "Um, Sam. I need to talk to my sister for a second. Mind if I catch up with you?"

"Uh, yeah. I mean, no… No, I don't mind." Sam shrugged and then left.

"What is with you?" Steve asked sharply once Sam was gone.

"If you're just now noticing I'm a little pissed about Homecoming…" She started dryly.

"Then why do you keep flirting with Sam?" Steve looked at her in obvious pent up frustration.

Natasha snorted. "You're cute. In an annoying blind as a bat kind of way," she added. "I have not been flirting with Sam. We're just friends. I'm not even that tight with him. And FYI, if what I'm doing is flirting then you're practically throwing yourself at him."

Steve backed up, slightly flustered, before shaking his head. "No, don't change the subject. What happened to you trying to make it work with James, huh? Are you really going to do Bucky like that?"

"I'm not doing anything," she said again since clearly he was too far up his own ass with feelings for Sam to get that.

"It doesn't look like that from where I'm standing," he countered.

She rolled her eyes, not having time for this. "Then move," she hissed before attempting to push past him. However he grabbed her by her arm. "You have ten seconds to let go of me," she warned.

He did. "If you lead him on—"

"I'm not leading James on. He knows exactly who I am. More than you do," Natasha said with a scowl.

"Whose fault is that?" Steve pointed out and she clenched her jaw. "But I didn't mean James," he said before leaving.

Natasha watched him go, brow furrowed and lips set in a slight frown. She wasn't the crying type unless there was a damn good reason. It didn't get her anywhere otherwise. But the fact that her own brother thought she would cheat on her boyfriend or lead someone else on needlessly stung. Then again, maybe she was leading them all on for not being honest with them.

 

* * *

 

Natasha scanned a rack of Homecoming dresses mindlessly as she waited for Skye to pick one out. She was currently trying on another one. The only ones that seemed possibly more bored than her were Peter, Harley and Pietro since their dads didn't let them go off with the older boys to pick out their dress clothes.

"Ah, that one's even prettier than before!" Jane exclaimed.

Natasha looked up to see Skye had emerged in a red, sleeveless, flared cocktail dress with a layer of peek-a-boo black lace at the edge of the skirt. She tilted her head in appraisal as the girl did the obligatory twirl for them all, in a much showier way than Natasha would even if _she_ could do it on a perfect point.

"That's the one, sweetheart," Tony said with an awed and approving smile.

Natasha looked down at the specific dress that had caught her eye once again, feeling a slight twinge of jealousy that she didn't know what to do with. She wasn't sappy by default, but she wasn't against the idea of her father fawning over her the way Tony was with Skye. Sometimes being the daughter who had come along latest, and having had known her real parents, she felt like there was a small wall between them even if it was all in her mind and her dad never gave her real reason to think that.

Natasha looked back up just in time to see her father glancing away from her. She pulled out the dress she liked best so far and looked at it. It was a high collar, strapless and flared cocktail dress. The top half had black lace overlaid on a cream, satiny material. The skirt had the same cream colored satiny material overlaid by black sheer fabric.

"You'd probably look amazing in that," Tony said, startling her.

"Doesn't matter," she replied with a shrug.

"Well, if you like it you can still get it. There's a Christmas party you'll all be invited to at Stark Industries," he said breezily and she looked up at him inquisitively.

"Look, this is between you and me because he'd never admit it," Tony said, pitching his voice lower, "but I think your dad is a little bummed that he's not getting to do the whole dad thing right now."

"Dad thing?" Natasha raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, the whole 'whoa my little girl is turning into a beautiful young woman where the hell did the time go?' dad thing," he said in one long breath like it wasn't even a hassle. "I think if you try it on you won't regret it," he said with a gleam in his eyes as he passed her.

She turned her head slightly, but then looked back down at the dress. She debated with herself a few more moments before deciding there was nothing wrong with trying it on. The sooner she got over this annoying teenage girl routine she'd somehow fallen into against her will, the better anyhow.

So she went into the dressing room and did just that. She felt a small thrill as she looked herself over in the mirror. It wasn't even something she could explain. If she had to put a finger on it maybe it was the sensation of her rapidly changing world and how she was still figuring herself out, the sensation of perhaps another puzzle piece falling into place. Of course, she also thought that this puzzle piece was missing the other it clicked with because he was hundreds of miles away.

When she emerged she was greeted by gasps she hadn't been expecting. She looked around at them curiously.

"Natasha you look beautiful," Jemma said first and Jane nodded.

"You look hot," Harley supplied.

"His father's son," Tony intoned with an amused shake of his head.

"You look like someone out of a classic movie," Skye offered with a smile. "Come on, you have to twirl."

Natasha quirked her lips and then indulged them. Upon reaching front and center again she barely had time to blink before her dad's arms were wrapped around her in a warm hug.

"You're always beautiful," he said first. "I love you so much and I'm so proud of you. I'm sorry your parents…" He started, but then just let the sentence trail because he knew she knew what he meant.

She hugged him tighter and closed her eyes. At this particular moment there was no wall in her mind. He was her dad and she counted herself lucky because he loved her deeply and truly. She didn't want to take him for granted.

"I love you too, dad. Thank you," she said and hoped he knew she meant for everything, for taking her in and caring for her and putting up with her even when she was being a confused teenager, and just for always being there for her.

"James will be the luckiest guy at Homecoming," Bruce then said, pulling away and looking her over.

She blinked several times. "I don't understand."

"I'm willing to let you fly to Willowdale on Saturday under one condition," Bruce started very slowly. "Betty takes you and Betty picks you up. I know a lot of your old friends will probably want to eat or hang out afterwards, but that's the deal. You go home with Betty when it ends and stay the night there. I've already talked to her and Leonard. They'll meet you at the airport and take you back Sunday morning."

Tony came over to stand beside her dad with that same gleam in his eyes and she realized he'd been pushing her to try on the dress for this very reason. "So you think that boyfriend of yours can have a suit and tickets ready on such short notice?" He asked with a teasing smirk.

"He'd better if he knows what's good for him," Natasha replied with a thin smile of her own, usual confidence returning.

"And, hey, now you can come hang with us next week too," Skye pointed out. She would have to see if James was okay with that arrangement since she'd be there without him, but she nodded tentatively. "And while I think that's the dress, you have to at least try on one more," Skye said, nudging her.

Natasha smiled. Maybe one more wouldn't hurt. Then she would call James.

 

* * *

 

Natasha hadn't said more than a few words to Steve or him to her since their argument earlier that day. When he and the other older boys had found out that she would be going to Homecoming with James after all, he'd merely mumbled a "congratulations" and then pointedly ignored adding to any of the conversation that followed. Earlier in the day she would have gotten into another argument with him over his rude response, but now knowing how drastically her own mood had changed finally getting what she'd really wanted she restrained from doing so. It was obvious he was just as upset about something he thought he couldn't have.

At first she'd hoped that this would prove to him that she wasn't into Sam, but as the silent treatment continued awkwardly through dinner she decided it would take something else. And it wasn't just Steve. Maybe it was the rush of euphoria she still felt, but she was tired of keeping secrets. She didn't owe anyone any explanations, but she did feel like she owed it to her dad to trust him and owed it to herself to not be afraid to be all of who she was.

Natasha listened to the chatter around the table. Pietro was complaining about seventh grade math. Darcy was talking a mile a minute about something that had happened in class. Steve, Sam and Thor were talking about football practice. Skye was still convinced she would never get along with Ms. May. Clint looked like he wanted to take out his hearing aid. Loki and Wanda were discussing the progression of his lessons as well as hers. She'd given up trying to figure out what Peter and Harley were talking about. Jemma was the only other one who remained quiet. All the while her dad and Tony were very conspicuously flirting across the table amidst listening to the chatter themselves.

As they began to finish up their dinner, Tony was the first to get up with his empty plate and head for the kitchen. However he stopped and stole a kiss from Bruce. Her dad laughed and looked up at him with a slightly scrunched face.

"What was that for?"

"Just kissing the cook because that was delicious."

Natasha smiled at the pleased look that spread across her father's face. He was so happy and she couldn't help but find it strangely encouraging.

"I'm asexual," she declared evenly, mind made up at last that this was the right time.

Unsurprisingly everyone stopped and looked at her. She made it a point to see her dad's reaction first, and Tony's by proxy of his still standing beside him; both men's faces were minutely surprised. She then made it a point to look at Steve to see him practically gaping at her.

"Hey, power to you," Skye said first, unfazed as she often was. "I follow this really awesome ace Tumblr you should follow."

"I thought only plants and insects could be asexual," Peter said, scrunching his face in confusion.

"Uh…" Bruce started and she turned to see him glance up at Tony and then back at Peter. "No. It's… You know how I like men?" Peter nodded.

"And you know how I like men _and_ women?" Tony piggybacked on that. Natasha looked at the younger kids to see them nod.

"It's like that," Bruce said. "Only…" He gestured to her. "Would you care to explain it, Tasha?"

She nodded. "Most of the time I don't like either men or women like that. I like them as friends and even then I appreciate certain boundaries. But I'm okay not dating or kissing or—"

Bruce shook his head.

"Yeah, I think they've got the point," Tony told her with a laugh.

"But you have a boyfriend," Jemma innocently pointed out. "You kiss him."

Natasha smiled. "I do, but only because he's unique. I'm attracted to _him_ in a way I'm not to other people." She looked at Steve and his face fell in understanding. "I know it doesn't make sense to a lot of people and some people probably wouldn't believe me…" She let her sentence trail momentarily and glanced at her father to see his brow creased. "But that doesn't mean it's not true. I work a little differently than other people, but I'm still me. Just like dad would still be dad if he wanted to date women instead."

"I'm selfishly glad that he doesn't," Tony inserted.

"James is aware?" Bruce asked her. She nodded. "And he treats you… That is, he respects your boundaries and doesn't push?"

"He hasn't so far," she answered.

"Alright, well, I trust you," he said then and one corner of her lips turned up in a half smile. "I just want you to be safe. I also wish you would have told me sooner so I could have supported you, but I understand this kind of thing can be confusing. I definitely understand. Thank you for sharing now," he said in a reassuring tone. "Since this might be a bit of a learning curve, you just tell me if something makes you feel uncomfortable, okay?"

She grinned more broadly and shook her head. "Okay, but it's been fine so far for the most part. Maybe now it'll clear up some things." Natasha stood to her feet with her empty plate and Steve followed suit.

"I'm sorry," he said as he passed her toward the kitchen.

"I am too," she said in return. "We were both being a little unreasonable."

 

* * *

 

 

"I'm starting to think I know less about my kids than I do these cars of yours," Bruce said with a sigh as he watched Tony fiddle under the hood of one.

The billionaire wasn't able to sleep, - Bruce wondered if it had anything to do with the situation with Ross that had come to light - so he had decided to keep him company for a while. He was a little on edge about his parenting skills at the moment anyhow and sleeping in an empty bed didn't seem ideal even if he'd done it for so long. Of course, the very basal part of him also just liked having an excuse to watch Tony work in loose fitting jeans and a beater. The oil smudges were also surprisingly doing things to him.

"You're not a bad dad, Bruce," Tony said as he moved over to grab a different tool. He turned then and looked at him. "It's like Natasha said. It's one of those things that still doesn't make sense to a lot of people. I mean, there are still people who don't understand what you and I are fully, but they at least understand sex and get that people like us are still sexually driven regardless of our preferences. Most people can't imagine how anyone would not be an inherently sexual being, you know? I can't say I even do if I'm being honest. Not to say I don't believe her or think she's broken so don't freak out on me," he gabbled and Bruce thought he saw something hiding behind his eyes.

"I know what you're trying to say," Bruce reassured him. "I can go long…" He paused and laughed, looking down at the floor. "Well, okay, I used to be able to go long periods without sex because it was a fairly controllable urge for me and the idea of the casual partner thing just didn't do much for me, but I still knew I was sexually attracted to other males and sometimes I wanted to act on it even if I didn't."

When Bruce looked up again Tony looked like he had gone somewhere a million miles away. It worried him. "Tony?" He prompted.

Tony blinked and then shook his head. "Sorry. I was just…" He sighed. "I was thinking about all of the times people probably thought they had a right to hurt you just because."

Bruce hung his head. "It's not important anymore."

Suddenly Tony was in front of him, lifting his head gently by the chin. "It's important to me. You are so amazing and smart and kind and handsome and just damn beautiful all around, Bruce. And the fact that there have been people who couldn't see that because all they could see was who you feel inclined to love… It makes me angry. You deserve the whole fucking world, babe. I mean that."

Bruce smiled. He could say thank you or he could confirm Tony's suspicions with the horrible things he'd endured, even in his adult life. He could especially fuel Tony's anger against General Ross, but he wouldn't. Tony didn't need any of that and simply knowing Tony was willing to be angry on his behalf was enough.

"I don't need the world, Tony," he said earnestly. "I'm good with what I've got."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. I wanted Natasha and Steve's struggle to be somewhat reminiscent of TWS - his not knowing how to deal with her  
> 2\. And Natasha wondering when she turned into the stereotypical teenage girl is pretty much a jab at why the heck they turned Natasha into a teenage girl in AoU - while also trying to present those feelings of uncertainty within the actual context of being a teenage girl.  
> 3\. And as before Natasha's experience is based largely on my own.


	17. Days in the Lives of Steve and Harley

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw for child bullying, homophobia, and Bruce talking about his dad being abusive

"On your left," Steve huffed out as he passed Sam on their morning run before school.

"How the hell?" Sam huffed back. "I had a, what? Two minute start?"

Steve laughed breathlessly as he shortened his stride so Sam could keep up. "I’m just fast."

"No, you're not just fast, you're like…" Sam paused to get his wind back in him. "I don't even think there's a word for it," he said, voice still shaky. "I want to see you race Pietro because somebody needs to knock your ass down a peg, man."

Steve shook his head. "I've seen him run. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't stand a chance. Imagine when he actually gets some technique to go along with that speed."

"Yeah, it'll be awesome," Sam agreed. They ran in silence to the end of their route. Shortly after they rounded back, Sam asked, "So, you nervous about the big game this weekend?"

"A little," Steve admitted. "Everybody's making such a big deal about it. It's not easy on top of being the new guy, you know? That's a lot of pressure."

"Hey, you'll do fine," Sam reassured him. "Or more improbably you'll suck."

Steve barked out a sharp huff of air that was meant to be a laugh. "You never know."

"Less improbably you'll make some stellar game saving play and everyone in the school that's into dudes will be all over you at the dance," Sam offered next, after a few moments of silence.

"I hope not," Steve said with a shake of his head. He then glanced at Sam beside him and added tentatively, "I'd rather have the attention of just one person if it's all the same. So I might need a wing man to beat them all back for me."

Sam laughed this time. "Well, hey, you can count on me for anything. But one person huh? Metaphorically or…?"

"Uh… Maybe literally," Steve hedged.

" _Oh_. Oh, yeah?" Sam asked, but Steve didn't miss the strange inflection at first. "That girl back in Virginia? Peggy right?"

"Yeah, Peggy, but…" Steve let his sentence trail for a few moments as they neared the house again. "Actually, I haven't really thought one way or another about Peggy lately," he confessed, surprising himself a little at the realization.

"Somebody new then? Okay, well now you know I'm going to be paying attention to see who you're cozying up to at school," Sam teased him. "Wait, oh, please don't tell me you weren't just joking when you asked Skye to Homecoming. Because, dude, she's like my sister so as great you are I wouldn't be okay with that and for another thing your dads would not be okay with that."

They slowed then and began their cool down.

Steve shook his head very firmly. "No, definitely not," he said. "Even if that wasn't entirely out of my realm of comfort, Skye's just a little too young and not quite my type."

"Ah, yes," Sam said and Steve could hear the amusement in his voice. "The elusive Steve type. Sure you're not like your sister?"

"I might be," Steve answered easily.

He'd considered it since her telling them, but he wasn't really focused on figuring it out for certain because he knew without a doubt the only type he had at the moment was Sam. And it was starting to drive him a little crazy. Three months around Sam and he found himself thinking things, saying and doing things, _wanting_ to say and do things that he hadn't in more than three years of crushing on Peggy. He was starting to think he might blurt out his secret at any turn and his jealousy of his own sister had been an embarrassing low point.

"Hey, where'd you go, man?" Sam interrupted his thoughts.

"I was just… thinking about my type," he answered vaguely as they stopped in front of the house and started stretching.

Sam didn't meet his eyes, but he suggested, "You know, if you really need me to be your wing man it might be best if you tell me finally so I can help you out."

Steve bit his lip. "Well, athletic is on the list," he said. He was fairly certain that was a general truth after all. Even Peggy had been able to hold her own against the very best, boy or girl, in a lot of physical activities.

Sam stopped stretching and looked at him studiously for a moment. "See, that wasn't so hard. What else? Light? Dark?"

Steve smiled crookedly. "Dark."

"Okay, see now we're getting somewhere. Um, well… male or female? I mean, I don't want to assume," Sam said as they went into the house for breakfast and to get ready for school.

"Honestly, it doesn’t seem to matter," Steve answered, but then took a breath and decided to take a chance. "But I might be leaning more male… At least at the moment?" Steve stopped when he realized Sam wasn't at his side anymore as they headed toward the kitchen. He turned to see Sam looking at him slightly stunned. "That's… That's not a problem, right? I mean I just assumed…"

Sam quickly stammered out a, "No, no, of course not. Obviously not." Steve tilted his head. "I just. You know." He looked sheepish and ashamed. "I honestly just figured that a guy like you would… well, All American, you know? And you mentioned Peggy so… Yeah, sorry, man. I shouldn't have assumed."

"Well, probably not," Steve said, offering him a playful smile. "But it's okay. It surprised me a little too. But I'm okay with it."

He shrugged and then started for the kitchen again to finish his usual routine of grabbing a protein bar before taking a shower; it was a simple thing that he was glad hadn't changed in spite of the other major changes in his life. Only now he shared the routine… Well, not the shower, he mused with a slight blush and flutter in his stomach.

When he got there his dad and Tony were already awake and laughing over something. Tony had a mug of coffee in his hands because if there was anything they'd learned about the billionaire since moving in with him and his kids it was that he seemed to thrive on coffee like others did water.

"Good morning you two," Tony greeted when he spotted them.

"Have a good run?" Bruce asked.

"Yeah, it was very enlightening," Sam said with a teasing grin, nudging Steve as he reached for a protein bar.

"Okay, this is only my first cup of coffee so I'm just going to assume that was an appropriate response to that question," Tony said tiredly. "By the way, Sam, the birthday fairy told me you should be getting a present delivered sometime today."

Sam snorted. "I'm going to tell dad you called him a fairy."

Tony sighed. "It's too early for teenage sass." Bruce turned and gave him a sympathetic pout before pecking him on the lips.

"And it's too early for you two being all gross and domestic," Sam said with a shudder.

"Don't worry, Sam. You'll find someone to be gross and domestic with one of these days," Tony called after him. "What about you, Steve?"

Tony broke through his thoughts and Steve was suddenly aware he'd been staring after Sam as he left rather than leaving too. "What about what?" He asked, looking over to see Bruce give him a glance and then another one to Tony.

"I feel like you and I haven't really gotten to talk as much as we should. So anyone special? I've heard about a Peggy…" He was clearly baiting him and had what Steve thought was a knowing gleam in his eyes.

"No, not Peggy," Steve answered. "And I know why you're asking. It must be pretty obvious, huh?"

"I don't know about that," Tony said as he filled up his cup with more coffee. "At least, Sam doesn't know. I can tell you that much." He took a drink and then set down his cup to start grabbing down plates.

"Do you want to talk about it, Steve?" Bruce asked him. "You know I'm here to listen or help in any way I can."

"The same offer stands with me," Tony said quickly.

Steve sighed. "What's there to talk about? I like him. A lot," he admitted. "But I get that it's probably not okay since we're both living in the same house and even if we weren't, I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I'm awkward and I don't want to ruin our friendship and…" He sighed again.

"Okay, one, the house thing," Tony said, turning to look at him. "We've discussed it and if anything happens between you, there'll just have to be some rules until Sam goes back to live with his dad in the city. But I can't really help you with the ruined friendship thing."

"It's just one of the risks," Bruce said. "And there's not always a rhyme or reason for when it's right to take that leap." He shrugged.

"You know, with your dad," Tony started, "I was going to settle for just being his friend because of the thirteen kids thing. But then that last night we were together I realized that wasn't really what I wanted so I at least needed to let him know." He looked at him intently. "You'll just need to settle with yourself if friendship is enough for now and if it is then that's fine. But if it's not…" Tony looked at the back of his dad's head with a soft smile. "Well, sometimes it pays off being a little forward. No matter how awkward it may be."

Steve watched for a few seconds as Bruce turned his head quickly, knowingly, to meet Tony's gaze. He then left them to get ready for school, but the entire time he couldn't stop wondering if he could go on with being just friends with Sam.

 

* * *

 

Steve walked over to the cabinet to find the vanilla extract. He'd forgotten to grab it initially for the very small cakes they had to make in his cooking elective before the end of the period. When he turned back he saw Sam struggling with his own cake preparation. Clint was at the station behind them shaking his head in amused judgment.

"If cooking isn't your thing, why'd you take this class?" Steve asked, unable to keep an entirely neutral tone, as he rejoined him.

Sam shot a glance back at Clint. "All the good electives this semester were filled already so somebody talked me into this one. Something about 'oh it'll be an easy A, man.'"

"Easy for me," Clint said with a shrug. He then gave a smug grin to the Laura girl beside him, which she pointedly ignored.

"Yeah, well, not all of us are cut out to be home bakers. Why can't they teach us how to make the good stuff?" Sam asked as he continued to struggle with his batter. "I mean, would it kill them to show us how to cook a good steak, how to cook up a mean stir fry? Instead they got us making cupcakes and French toast."

Steve laughed and shook his head as he finished folding in all his ingredients and started the task of whisking it. "Well, look at it this way. It's your birthday tomorrow so the whole class is celebrating it a day early."

"Yum," Sam deadpanned. "Nothing says 'happy birthday' like food poisoning."

Steve looked over at Sam's lumpy batter. "Okay, yours might lead to that," he joked. Sam scowled at him. "I'm kidding. You just got to work on your whisking is all. Like this," he demonstrated with his own. "Or you can use the electric blender," he then suggested as he poured his batter into the small cake pan and then walked it over to his assigned oven.

Apparently, it was the wrong suggestion. No sooner had he closed the oven door and set the timer there were a few shrieks followed by riotous laughter. He closed his eyes, knowing what had happened before even turning to see. When he did turn he had to hold in a laugh of his own at the sight of Sam's face, arms and apron covered in cake batter.

"Mistakes happen. Clean up and start over," the teacher clipped after appraising the situation.

Steve grabbed a few paper towels and walked over to help him, secretly glad that his own cake hadn't been ruined in the process. "Here," he handed one to him to clean off with and kept the other to start wiping down the station. He paused, however, and looked at the setting on the mixer and saw that it had been on the highest setting. "Maybe try a softer setting next time," he suggested.

"Nah, next time I'm just sticking with lumpy batter and taking my B with pride," Sam said with a shake of his head as he wiped off his arms.

Before he could register what he was doing, Steve scooped a bit of the batter off of Sam's cheek with one finger and tasted it. He winced at the flavor. "Yeah, probably C. Too much salt." That's when he saw Sam's wide eyes and realized what he had done.

"Did you just eat cake batter off of him?" Clint asked incredulously.

"Uh… I… I guess I did," Steve said before gritting his teeth in a grimace. "Sorry."

Sam wiped off the rest of his face and then looked down at the paper towel in his hand. "It's fine. It was, uh…" He cleared his throat. "It was kind of hot."

Steve blinked in surprise and tried to squash down all of the ways his hormones reacted to that statement. Instead he decided to take it in stride. "It kind of was, wasn't it?" Sam met his eyes in equal surprise before smoothing into a toothy smile. "You know, you should probably get started on your other cake while you still have time," he changed the subject then. "I'll let you know if you're about to use too much salt," he offered.

Sam appeared grateful before walking away to get the few things he needed to start over. Steve watched him go before turning his head to see Clint looking at him knowingly.

"You don't have to say anything," Steve warned him.

"I was just going to say maybe you should offer to give him some private tutoring," Clint said with a shrug, smirk touching his face.

Steve rolled his eyes, but as he started on his icing mixture he couldn't help thinking it wasn't the worst idea in the world.

 

* * *

 

Steve sighed and immediately stopped his pencil's movements against the sketchpad when he realized he was doing it again. He would come outside to the courtyard during lunch, sit back against one of the trees near the tables and make to sketch the faces of fellow students. Only the faces almost always ended up being the faces of those people he already knew. And while sometimes it was his siblings or the Starks, it seemed lately ninety percent of the time the face he would start drawing was Sam's.

His newest sketchbook was already riddled with drawings of Sam, some of which he would never be able to explain away as friendly if they were seen. Defeated, he erased some of the detailed lines and reworked the new sketch into a slightly more caricatured drawing of Sam. He laughed a little as it took the direction of Sam in his apron and covered with cake batter.

"Funny," Sam said and Steve's heart nearly jumped out of his chest at the unexpected interruption. Trying to hide how flustered he was, he moved to take another bite of his lunch as Sam sat down beside him. "You really got my likeness down. Maybe I should ask you to paint me like you did Skye."

"I could," Steve offered, grateful for an easy change in subject. "If you'd like that for your birthday."

Sam shrugged. "I don't know. I don't…" He paused for a beat. "I don't know what I want for my birthday. But before I forget, thanks for the heads up about the salt. At least I got a B out of that disaster of a cake."

"It wasn't that bad," Steve assured him. "But uh, speaking of birthdays and cakes, wanna share mine?" He took a breath and grabbed the small white pastry box and handed it to Sam.

"Hell, yeah," Sam said definitely. "The teacher looked like she was going to foodgasm over the small bite she took." He set aside his lunch, holding on to his fork, and opened the box. Steve swallowed hard. "What… When did you add that?"

The question was in reference to the piping that said _Happy Birthday, Sam_. Sam looked at him incredulously, but he had a pleased smile on his face that did nothing to slow the pace of Steve's beating heart.

"After the bell rang. Asked the teacher if I could real quick," Steve answered.

"Thanks," Sam said and then took a bite of the cake. His eyes widened in an appreciative way that Steve found way more rewarding than the teacher's reaction. "Damn. I was prepared to say it's the thought that counts if it was a letdown, but damn."

Sam held it out slightly, gesturing to him to join in any time. Steve grabbed his own fork and took a bite. He hadn't tried it yet, but he had to admit his few additions to the basic recipe they were given was a risk that had paid off. As they shared the cake, Steve wondered if maybe the other risk he wanted to take would pay off.

"You know," Steve started tentatively. "I told you my type. You've never technically told me yours."

Sam snorted. "Here I thought you wouldn't notice. Alright. Fair's fair." He spun his fork like he was deliberating. "Male." Steve nearly choked on his bite of cake. "Surprised?"

"A little, sorry," Steve admitted.

"Then I guess we're even. Athletic is on my list too," Sam said then before taking another bite of cake. "Only I'd say I lean light. At least at the moment," he said. "The guy has to be…" Sam paused, again looking like he was trying to find the right words as he looked at him or past him because as usual Steve couldn't tell. "He has a really warm and inviting personality. It's like… fresh-baked apple pie or something. And his smile is like… It's blinding and disarming both. His eyes are blue and expressive. He's kind of got this old-fashioned charm. And…" Sam suddenly blinks. "And I just realized I'm giving you way more than you gave me," he says in obvious deflection.

"Maybe, but…" Steve didn't know what he wanted to say, or he did even if it hurt a little. "You sounded like you're really crazy about this guy. It was kind of nice listening to you describe him. I…" Steve took a breath. "It kind of made me a little jealous."

Sam cocked his head suddenly and dropped the box of cake, or what little was left of it, startling them both. "Thank goodness it didn't fall out on me," Sam said, laughing nervously. "That was—"

"Hey, is that cake?" Thor interrupted, coming over to them with two empty trays of food.

How he managed to get two trays of food at lunch, Steve would never know. Probably his charm or… His eyes widened.

"Uh, yeah. Not much left. Steve made it. It's delicious. You can have the rest if he says it's okay," Sam offered.

"Your birthday cake to share," Steve said simply so Sam gave Thor the cake and his slightly younger brother thanked them, made small chit chat about football practice and hurried off.

Steve watched him go and then raised his brow at Sam. Sam furrowed his own for a second before realization set in. "Oh, oh no," he said with a laugh. "Thor's a great guy, but no." He stood to his feet, gathering his things with him. "He's not exactly what I meant when I was talking about All-American charm." He shook his head with a smile and walked away.

Steve waved after him, thinking nothing of it until suddenly it struck him what Sam had said. He furrowed his brow and looked down, wondering if it was his imagination or a coincidence or if Sam even knew what he had said. His heart was beating nearly out of his chest when he looked back up and saw Sam had stopped to talk to Coach Hill.

_All-American?_

 

* * *

 

Practice for the big Homecoming game was a grueling everyday occurrence. Steve would never admit it, but he liked it when it was over.

He walked over to where Sam was already sat on the bench. "I'm never going to make it to the big game at this rate," he said with a shake of his head as he sat down beside him. "And God help anyone who asks me to dance at Homecoming because I'll step on their feet." He paused and tilted his head. "Then again, that was probably already going to happen anyway."

Sam opened his mouth to respond, but didn't get a chance.

"You're a natural out there, Steve. Between you and me, I think you should be Captain."

"Uh, thanks," Steve said to the boy who'd said it as he passed by.

"Please tell me it's not Rumlow," Sam said with a laugh after the other boy was out of earshot.

"Not even close. Not even the same league. We're talking from here to California," Steve responded earnestly.

"Okay, I'm beginning to think you're just making this guy up," Sam said teasingly. "Because that's some crazy hype."

"I'm not. He's real. He's… And he _is_ on the football team," Steve blurted. He watched Sam look around at who was still on the field. Steve gathered his courage and said, "On your left."

Steve smiled and waited for Sam to stop looking around. When he did, he turned his head left in confusion. "On my…?" His eyes widened and Steve's smile widened with them. "You… And I'm… You mean me?"

"I mean you," Steve answered. "I'm… I guess I should have been level with you from the beginning. I just didn't want you to feel uncomfortable. You're a great friend, Sam, and I don't want to lose that so much as… It's not exactly what I want. And you deserve to know that. I don't want to keep lying to you."

Sam continued to gape at him a little and Steve felt his hope fall. When he didn't say anything, Steve shrugged and stood to his feet. "Now you know," he mumbled and started to head back to the locker room.

"Steve, wait!" Sam suddenly shouted and when Steve turned, the other boy was on his feet. "You're not the only liar here. I lied to you earlier."

Steve wasn't entirely sure what that had to do with what he had just put on the table, but he cocked his head just the same. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. I've known for a while what I want for my birthday," Sam said, coming closer. "I really want the guy I like to ask me to Homecoming." Sam gave him a meaningful look.

Steve couldn't fight the smile, blinding and disarming apparently, that spread across his face and he took a few steps closer as well so that they were standing with only a foot between them. His heart was in his ears, but there was no turning back.

"Sam, will you go to Homecoming with me?"

There was a pregnant pause, but Sam's answer was in his eyes as their faces inched closer together.

"Yes," Sam said firmly before their eyes closed and the space between them disappeared.

The kiss was hesitant and chaste at first. They pulled away just enough after the initial kiss to relish in the sensation, or so it was the case for Steve, before their hands clutched at each other's sides and they kissed more deeply.

It wasn't perfect in the sense that Steve knew exactly what he was doing or was a phenomenal kisser. There was a little uncertainty with what to do with his teeth and tongue or what Sam might think about his kissing skills, but it felt perfect in the sense that Steve knew for certain that this was the more that he had wanted. Kissing Sam felt right and he wanted to go on kissing him. Sam made no moved to break apart as they explored this new intimacy so Steve could only hope that it meant Sam felt the same.

When they finally did break apart it was to catcalls and applause. They turned in sync to see Thor, and Clint and Skye in the bleachers, cheering for them while a few of the others on the football team gave thumbs up.

"For the record," Steve said, shaking his head at the others before looking back at Sam. "I'd like more than just to go to Homecoming with you."

Sam gave him a wide smile that Steve found blinding and disarming as well. "If you're asking me to be your boyfriend then happy birthday to me."

"I am," Steve said with a laugh and then kissed his boyfriend again.

 

* * *

 

"Okay, dad, I think you've taken enough pictures," Steve protested, but Bruce ignored him in favor of taking more.

"Yeah, I'm with Steve," Clint said, his comment aimed at Tony naturally. "If we keep going at this rate, we'll miss the dance."

"After last night's game I kind of wish I could," Steve mumbled.

Bruce shook his head. "You guys pummeled the other team," he said, taking one more close up of Steve and Sam.

"Yeah, and now everybody's going to be making a big deal about it," Steve countered. "Every cheerleader practically asked me to save a dance for them after the game." Bruce raised his brow at that and looked at Sam. "Then they acted like I'd stolen their puppy when I said I'm saving most of my dances for my boyfriend."

"Most of them?" Sam asked with a playful smirk.

"He promised me one," Clint said with a smirk of his own.

Steve shook his head. "That most certainly was never promised."

"But he did promise me one," Skye chimed in.

"And if you know what's good for your feet, Sam," Natasha said evenly, "you'll let me take his first slow dance so I can teach him a thing or two."

"Stepping on each others' feet at first is half the fun," Tony said in disbelief at that notion and Bruce smiled knowingly at him. "Besides, how are these two going to figure out whose hands should go where hmm?" He asked them, but winked at Bruce.

The teens all shared a confused glance at that, but then shrugged in a strange unison.

 _The SUV is ready_ , JARVIS intoned.

"Okay, just a few more," Bruce said quickly.

"How about some with us," Tony suggested and Bruce agreed.

He first took pictures of Tony with Clint, Skye and Sam individually and then one with them altogether. He then took one of Tony with Sam and Steve. Then Tony took a picture of him with Steve, Thor, Loki – who had given in after all – and Natasha individually. Likewise Tony took pictures of him with all of his kids at once as well as with Steve and Sam.

Finally the kids shooed them back and then left the house for their dance.

Bruce smiled at the door and then started looking through some of the pictures. "Time flies. Soon it'll be senior prom and then college."

Tony came up behind him and wrapped his arms around him. "Yeah, but just think. This is only the beginning. They're not all graduating at once. You even get to start the whole high school thing all over again with Jane next year. And you haven't even reached the middle school phase with Peter and Jemma yet." Tony's voice was calm enough in his ear, but Bruce could hear the underlying emotion and could guess he was thinking about his own younger kids now that Clint was a junior and Skye was off to her first high school dance.

Bruce hummed. "I'll probably have a break down when it comes time for Jemma's first high school dance let alone senior prom."

"I hope I'm there to break down with you," Tony said earnestly before craning his neck to place a kiss at Bruce's temple.

Bruce didn't say it out loud, but he was starting to have a hard time imagining a future where Tony wasn't there to share those things with him and they hadn't even been together for six months yet.

"But let's not think about that right now," Tony then said cheerfully as he pulled away. "Because tonight is Homecoming and I'd much prefer it if my date not act like a weepy dad no matter how hard it may be to resist."

Bruce furrowed his brow and turned to see Tony smiling at him in a way that Bruce knew meant he was up to something. "What are you talking about?"

"Right, right. Got ahead of myself and just assumed you would be my date," Tony gabbled. "So, Bruce Banner, will you go to Homecoming with me?"

"Only if you have a time machine somewhere," Bruce answered with a small laugh.

Tony's face practically lit up. "I might have one in the living room. Let's go find out." Tony grabbed his hand then and dragged him along.

Bruce, amused as he was, was about to ask just what Tony was up to when they reached the living room and he was greeted by a gaudy assortment of decorations that screamed late 80s/early 90s. The larger furniture had been pushed out of the way and there was a party table with punch and snacks. The lights were dimmed with colorful strobe lights that Bruce was certain had probably always been programmed into the house's lighting because it was Tony. There was also music from the same general era playing. He looked around in astonishment and then realized all of the remaining kids were already there and dressed in nicer clothes and either eating the snacks or dancing rambunctiously to the music.

"Tony, what… What is this?" He asked even though he could tell.

"It's Homecoming. Figured the kids would get a kick out of having their own little dance party and they were immediately on board when I suggested it." Tony then looked at him intently. "And I never really got a Homecoming since I was already at college and I wasn't sure if you ever went, but I kind of assumed not."

"You assumed correct," Bruce replied as he started to understand.

"I figured you and I were owed a do-over. So, be my date?"

As if he had timed it that way perfectly, or maybe he did or maybe even JARVIS had taken the initiative, the rhythmic first beats of _I Wanna Dance With Somebody_ filled the room and Bruce couldn't help but smile a little.

"Oh I love this song!" Darcy cheered.

"Good pick, JARVIS," Wanda complimented the AI and Tony shot Bruce a quick look that said 'hopefully it's just a phase.'

Even Pietro gave into Jemma tugging on his arm and asking him to dance with her which both amused Bruce and genuinely touched him.

Finally, Bruce answered Tony's question by pulling him onto the makeshift dance floor and letting himself get spirited away by Tony's fun, impromptu dance party with their kids.

 

* * *

 

Harley heard his name and felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. He groaned a little, but opened his eyes to see Bruce hovering over him with a gentle look on his face.

"How are you feeling this morning?" Bruce asked him and checked his temperature with his hands. "You don't feel too warm, but here's the thermometer just to be sure."

Harley waited as Bruce carefully placed the thermometer on his forehead. The house had come down with a nasty flu and the past week had been pretty miserable. Harley had recently moved to the living room since Peter had started showing symptoms the day before and Bruce was trying to quarantine him. Jane was there too since Darcy was sick. Even Bruce himself – when he wasn't busy caring for sick kids – slept in one of the chairs since Tony had come down with it too.

"Looks like you're fine," Bruce told him as he pulled away the thermometer. Harley groaned slightly again. "I know, but trust me you'd rather go to school than deal with what some of the others are," he said. "You have some clean clothes in the laundry room and breakfast is on the table.

Harley sighed, but got up just the same and went off to get ready for school. Once he was done he went to eat breakfast. It was a little strange because the only ones at the table were himself, Wanda, Jane, Loki, Thor, and Steve. Jemma came bounding in several minutes later, followed by Bruce.

"You guys must be healthier than us," Harley said in observation of the fact that only he and Wanda were still not sick of their family.

"Dad's a bit of a health nut," Jane replied.

"Well, it's a little more complicated than that," Bruce said. "Steve and Loki were sick a lot as kids so they seem to outlast this kind of thing now that they're older. Thor is just very healthy all around. And I have a pretty strong immune system that I think Jane and Jemma might have inherited." Then Bruce knocked on the wooden top of the table when he sat down with his own breakfast; Harley found it amusing.

"But we do…" Steve started, but then suddenly looked a little pale.

"Eww, he's going to blow," Harley said with a laugh, equally grossed out and finding it hilarious.

Steve quickly left the table and Bruce sighed. "I had a feeling he was next."

"Well, Sam was one of the firsts," Loki said and Harley made a face at the implication. He didn't get why anyone would want to date before they were an adult. "Probably took a little longer for it to catch up to Steve."

"That's exactly why I had a feeling he was next," Bruce replied and stood. "If I'm not back before you need to leave for the car, have a good day at school. Wanda, did I sign your field trip slip?"

"Yes," she answered.

"Okay. Wanted to make sure I actually signed it and didn't just mean to sign it. If your teacher has a problem with it, talk to Principal Coulson and have him call me okay?"

"Okay," she said and then he left them.

"Seven little monkeys jumping on the bed. One fell off and bumped his head," Harley sing-songed as he finished his breakfast and Jemma giggled beside him.

 

* * *

 

Harley didn't realize how much it sucked not having a best friend in class until Peter didn't come to school with him that day. Sure, he got along way better with more of the kids in this year's intermediate class than he did in his fourth grade class the year before, but Peter had become his best friend and having him around made the day go by faster. He didn't mind school work so much when he could partner up with Peter and he had overheard Bruce tell his dad that Peter was much more engaged in school this year than ever so Harley was smart enough to know it was the same reason. He kind of hoped Peter wasn't sick for as long as the others had been so far or that he could get sick too because he'd much rather suffer through that than school without him.

"Hi, Harley!" Jemma waved cheerfully at him when he came out of the school at the end of his _super long and not very fun day_. She was standing with Wanda and Jane on the lawn of the school waiting for him.

Harley waved back and scanned the line of cars to see if theirs was there yet as he walked toward them. However, he was suddenly ripped back by his backpack. He heard the girls shriek and saw them come running over as he was pushed back and forth between two familiar bullies.

"If it isn't our old friend. We've missed you since you moved to the freak class."

"It's not a freak class," Harley argued as he struggled and tried to push back.

They laughed at him and taunted further. "Look, he thinks he can actually beat us up."

"Give it up, weakling."

"My dad says his dad is gay now."

The two talked back and forth in snide tones as they continued to rough him up.

"My dad is bisexual you bigot," Wanda snapped at them.

"Oh, fancy words. Bet you're just as weak as he is."

"Jemma, go get a teacher," Jane instructed and Harley watched the youngest Banner run off to do so. "And there's nothing wrong with being gay," she then said with a feisty sneer.

"Look he needs these girls to protect him. How about we push them around and see how they like it?"

Harley became furious as the two bullies attempted to circle Jane and Wanda, not caring that they were older. Harley tried to remember the move Thor had shown him and Pietro as he lunged forward and attached himself to the closest bully, tackling him to the ground.

"If you touch my sisters, I'll kill you!" He yelled and began punching and trying to chokehold the bully underneath him until the other started roughly trying to pull him off. He only latched on tighter with determination.

"Break it up!" Principal Coulson's stern voice suddenly called out and quickly they scrambled to their feet.

"Are you okay, Harley?" Jemma asked from where she stood by Coulson.

"Yeah, I'm okay," he said, and readjusted his book back on his shoulders.

"Wanda," Coulson said, "please stay here and when your driver arrives, instruct him or her of the delay."

"Yes, Principal Coulson," Jane replied.

"You three," Coulson snapped his fingers and pointed at Harley and the two bullies, "in my office now. Jane, I'd like for you to come along as a witness. Jemma, you can either tag along with Jane or stay here with Wanda."

Harley followed Principal Coulson toward the office and sat down outside as he waited for his turn to be called in to give his account. When it was finally his turn, going last, he shrugged off his backpack and dragged it in with him. Coulson was on the phone with Bruce when he sat down in the chair across from him.

"I assure you, Dr. Banner that your daughters and Wanda are absolutely fine. Yes, Harley is fine too. He's right here and I'm about to hear his story. No, no, that's not necessary. I realize you have your hands full there. I already have most of the details from the security footage. It's mostly an issue of hearing what the kids will say and if it lines up. Yes, it is usually effective. The driver is still here as are your older kids. I'll send you an email with what comes of everything. And I assure you I will do everything in my power to keep this from happening again. Thank you, Dr. Banner. Yes, have a nice evening and stay well."

As Coulson ended the phone call, Harley wondered if Bruce would be mad at him when he got home or if he would tell his dad. He did ask if he was okay though so maybe it would be okay and maybe he would be happy that he defended Jane and Wanda. Maybe his dad would be happy about that too.

"First things first." Coulson looked at him finally. "You were said to have threatened to kill—"

"That's not what I said!" Harley shouted and Coulson gave him a reprimanding glance at his outburst though he said nothing. "That's not what I said exactly," Harley said more calmly.

"Okay, then what did you say exactly?"

"I said if he touched my sisters I would kill him," Harley answered.

"I see. Harley, you do realize only one is your sister?" Coulson asked.

Harley blinked several times in confusion. "Well, yeah. But… Dad and Bruce said they wanted us to be treated like a family here at school, didn't they?"

Coulson nodded once. "They did."

"And they're kind of like my step-sisters since they're always around now." He shrugged.

"And you seem very okay with this adjustment," Coulson observed calmly. "You're willing to protect them?"

Harley puffed out his cheeks as he thought about it. "Well, at first it was kind of weird. I was afraid it would be annoying. But it's not so bad. It's kind of fun having a bigger family… Well, family-thing?" Coulson gave him a patient nod to let him know he could continue. "Bruce seems to like us and Peter's my best friend. I wouldn't mind if he was my brother too. Is that not okay?"

Coulson smiled. "It's very okay. I just wanted to know how you're adjusting and I'm sure your dad and Dr. Banner would be happy to hear your feelings." Coulson then paused and let out a sigh. "What isn't okay is uttering death threats even under these kinds of circumstances. I know that their threatening your sisters was a very real problem and they will be dealt with and I don't believe you would have actually killed them… Or at least, I trust that you wouldn't have. But the fact remains that even making an empty threat is grounds for suspension. Under the circumstances, I've reduced your suspension to two days and I'd like you to see the guidance counselor for a few weeks to discuss some techniques for keeping your cool in a situation like that and using your words."

Harley sighed, but nodded. "It doesn't seem fair. I just wanted to keep them safe."

"I understand that. And in some circumstances, I wouldn't blame you. But your sisters were relatively safe in that situation. Beating up a fellow student, while still not appropriate, to keep them from touching your sisters is understandable. You got carried away, Harley, and it's best if we find a way to keep that response from being something you rely on, okay?"

"Okay," Harley said, nodding again.

"Now, I'm going to assume that since you shared a class with both of these students last year they're the same two you've dealt with in the past?"

Harley bit his lip, not sure if it was a good idea to snitch or if it would make them angry, but maybe it didn't matter now. "Yes," he admitted.

"Then we'll figure out a way to keep them from targeting you or your family again. Bullies are an unfortunate part of life and I can only do so much, but as long as you're in my school don't hesitate to tell me when there's a problem. I _am_ here to help."

 

* * *

 

Bruce was waiting for them as soon as they walked through the door. Harley immediately noticed that he looked at him first with a look that was sympathetic before looking at Jane, Wanda, and Jemma. Harley also noticed that he looked very tired.

"Is everyone okay?" He asked, placing a hand on Jemma's head. He then looked down in concern and began moving his hand along Jemma's forehead and cheeks. "You're feeling a little flush, sweetheart. Have you coughed or anything today?" Jemma shook her head. "Could just be the excitement, but let's take your temperature just to be sure." He looked at the rest of them then. "Let me take care of Jemma and then, Jane, Wanda, if you want to talk to me I'll be ready to listen okay? And Harley, I'd like to speak with you."

Harley slumped his shoulders, but followed Bruce and Jemma into the living room while the others headed off elsewhere. He sat down on the couch, setting his backpack beside him and watched as Bruce took Jemma's temperature.

"Am I sick?" Jemma asked when he pulled away the thermometer and looked at it.

"I'm afraid you might be on your way, dear. But maybe if you get plenty of rest we can nip it in the bud so it's not as bad. I want you to go lay down before dinner okay? You can read if you want to or watch a movie, but if you feel the least bit tired you can take a nap too," Bruce told her. She didn't look entirely happy, but scooted off to do as told. "Okay, Harley. So tonight's obviously not going to be the usual Friday night dinner so I thought I'd make an executive decision and let you make the call on what we order in."

Harley hadn't been expecting that. "Really? Didn't Principal Coulson tell you I'm suspended?"

"Yes," Bruce replied. "But he also told me that you were trying to protect your sister and Jane. And I'm okay with that. I think you deserve a little bit of accolade for the effort even if we need to work on how you go about helping them."

Harley looked down at the floor. "I said I would kill them," he admitted.

"I know. Principal Coulson told me your exact words. Did you mean it?" He asked and Harley looked up at him in slight shock.

Harley thought about it long and hard for a moment. "I don't know about kill," he started. "I just said it because I knew if they hurt Wanda and Jane I'd hurt them really bad any way I could. So maybe I meant it?"

"Okay, that's a start," Bruce said and didn't sound angry which confused Harley. "I want to tell you something about myself, Harley. I was bullied very badly as a boy." Harley's eyes widened and he thought Bruce looked like he was taking very deep breaths. He looked not only tired, but now also very sad. "I was bullied by my father at home until I went to live with my aunt and I was bullied at school."

"Your dad was abusive?" Harley asked in disbelief. Bruce always seemed so nice and he couldn't understand why anyone would want to abuse him. He knew some kids were abused, but it was hard to imagine.

Bruce sighed and nodded, frowning as he did. "He was. He was very mean. He drank a lot and he… He was just very cruel. He was so cruel that he did some very bad things and they sent him away to an asylum because he wasn't okay mentally." Harley just remained silent as Bruce took a few more breaths. "I was glad to get away from him, but I couldn't seem to get away from the other bullies. They bullied me for being poor and for being super smart. They bullied me for being a very weak kid. They bullied me for being shy. They bullied me for being gay. So finally I got so tired of being bullied and not having anyone to turn to that I wanted to hurt my bullies very badly."

"Did you?" Harley asked.

Bruce shook his head. "No, but I tried. And I might have had I not gotten lucky." Harley furrowed his brow as to what Bruce meant by that, but didn't ask. He clearly seemed hurt by the memory. "So I know it's very hard to go through what you're going through. But I want you to really listen to your counselor and try to work on those techniques that'll be shared with you. And if you ever need to talk about something, you can come to me because I've been there and I know it sucks."

"It really sucks," Harley said.

"Yeah. But violence isn't the answer unless you really, really need to defend yourself or someone else okay? Those situations are tough, I get it." Bruce paused. "But you're really lucky, Harley. You have a principal who cares and wants to help you with this. And you have a very big support group at home, even bigger now that we've moved in here too. I promise you that all of my older kids don't like bullies because a few of them have been in your shoes too."

"So, am I in trouble?" Harley decided to ask after a few minutes.

"Well, that's probably for your dad to decide," Bruce said in an even tone, but then he smiled. "But I promise to put in a good word for you if you promise me from now on you'll tell somebody you trust like your dad when you're being harassed. How's that sound?"

"I think I can do that," Harley agreed.

"Glad to hear it," Bruce replied and stood up. "Now I've got to make the rounds, but when I'm done let me know what you want for dinner."

Harley suddenly stood up too and gave Bruce a hug. He didn't give hugs to anyone other than his dad unless the other person hugged him first, but he decided Bruce deserved one.

"I'm sorry people were mean to you," he said genuinely. "I wish you had a dad as nice as my dad or you."

Bruce hugged him back strongly. "Thank you, Harley. That's one of the nicest things I've ever heard."

Harley knew people said stuff like that a lot, but he had a feeling Bruce meant it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. I just freaking wanted to imagine Bruce and Tony dancing to Whitney Houston tbh.


	18. Days in the Lives of Thor and Pietro

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Pietro. He doesn't get much. I feel bad about it. 
> 
> Also, my apologies for not updating quicker even though it's finished. My week has been very busy and uploading/formatting on Ao3 is half the battle for me. Similarly thank you all for the comments so far. If I haven't replied yet, I do still mean to.
> 
> ETA on 5/24/16 to correct fact inaccuracy regarding Emancipation Proclamation. Pointed out by [safetypin](http://archiveofourown.org/users/safetypin/pseuds/safetypin).

Thor watched his father carefully as he took his turn in their bowling match. They had split into teams of three – Thor, Jane and Harley versus Bruce, Loki and Wanda. However, Thor thought his dad looked a little off in his game. He was usually a proficient bowler, but his score wasn't what it usually was on average. He also looked very worn down.

"Father, I think you should rest," he finally said when the game had ended and he couldn't hold his tongue any longer.

Bruce looked at him with a small, tired smile. "I'd like to, but Peter and Pietro are still in the worst of it and Jemma's fever was climbing last time I checked."

"But you can rest until they need you," Thor pointed out. After all, JARVIS always alerted him when there was an immediate distress call. "I'm sure we can handle ourselves the rest of the night," he said, looking at the others.

"Thor is right," Wanda agreed. "You've been doing so much. You should relax."

"And you do have a bad habit of ignoring your own needs," Loki added.

Bruce sighed. "Okay. Maybe it's not such a bad idea. I might just go rest in the living room for a while." He looked at them in concern. "But if you need anything, let me know." He then left them.

"You know," Jane said, after they had been sitting alone for a while, "it just being five of us right now is really weird."

"It's quieter for one thing," Wanda said.

"It's a little boring," Harley replied next. "No offense. I mean, I don't mind just hanging out with you guys, but I've gotten used to… having options?"

Loki snorted. "Surprisingly I agree."

Thor was contemplative. "Does anyone else wonder what it would be like if our fathers decided to break up?"

There was silence for a long moment.

"I try not to," Wanda finally said. "My dad was so lonely before he met your dad. He wouldn't admit it, but he was. And now he smiles like he hasn't smiled since our mother was alive."

"I don't even remember much of what he was like then," Harley added gravely. "But he does seem happier than he used to be. I mean, it's not like he wasn't happy with just us, but…"

"I think there are different kinds of happiness," Thor tried to explain. "You can be happy, but it's nicer when you have a partner to share that happiness with. Someone who is on your level and understands. Our father understands your father and vice versa."

"And let's not underestimate attraction," Loki pointed out. "Our fathers were attracted to one another which is why not even having thirteen kids between them could keep them apart."

"It's kind of gross," Harley said, making an exaggerated face.

"It's sweet," Wanda countered.

"It's life," Loki said blandly.

"But do you think it will last?" Jane asked.

There was silence again and it lasted longer this time. Nobody, not even Loki as Thor could tell, seemed to want to answer that question.

"I do," Thor replied, taking the initiative and meaning it. "I think too much has happened already for me to believe otherwise. They seemed meant to find each other when the time was right."

"How quaint," Loki said, but Thor thought it lacked its usual venom.

"So do you think we were meant to be a family?" Harley asked.

"Well, I believe in the fates so yes," Thor answered confidently.

"Then I think we should fight to keep it that way," Wanda said with sudden determination. "No matter what happens, we should look out for one another and let our dads know how much we want to be one."

"Like Harley did today," Jane pointed out and the boy looked slightly sheepish. "We're like ohana now."

"A little broken, but still good," Wanda finished knowingly. "I like that."

"Me too," Harley admitted. "We should go watch that."

Thor smiled as the three younger kids ran off to the theater room.

"I hope you haven't gotten their hopes up," Loki said to him when they were alone. "Anything can happen. Our father and Tony haven't even been together six months let alone a whole year. These things can fizzle out or become too complicated."

"Do you really believe that, Loki?" Thor asked him genuinely. "Or is it because you don't want to let yourself believe this can last?"

Loki sighed. "You're right. I want it to last. I do. It's one of very few sentiments I will allow myself to admit. But not everything lasts."

"You're right. They don't." Thor compromised. "But then maybe we should take Wanda's advice and do our best not to complicate things."

Loki didn't respond, but Thor hoped he was right that there was a spark of agreement in his eyes before he passed him to head to the theater room as well. Thor followed behind to join the others. The only conversation after that was solely based on the film.

Halfway through the movie it paused and JARVIS' voice filled the room.

_I'm sorry to interrupt, but I believe Dr. Banner to be in need of assistance._

Thor wasted no time in rushing to the living room, not caring if the others followed or not. He found his father sitting on the edge of the armchair in the middle of a coughing fit.

"Father?" He asked tentatively. Bruce waved a hand toward him to indicate he was fine, but Thor remained stubborn. "You are not fine. You're sick."

"I'm okay," Bruce said between coughs. "And JARVIS said Jemma and Pietro need checking on," he said. "I'm fine," he insisted and stood up.

No sooner had he stood, his eyes rolled back in his head and his knees buckled. Thor was there in an instant to keep him from falling to the floor and he helped him back onto the chair. He felt his skin and nearly recoiled.

"Is he okay?" Jane asked and he turned to see her and the others.

"He's burning up," Thor said. "He needs to go to bed and be taken care of," he said matter-of-factly. He then looked firmly at the others. "Jemma needs someone to check on her and so does Pietro. We can ask JARVIS for his help if we have to, but two of you need to go handle that while I take father to bed."

"I've got Jemma," Loki said with a nod.

"I'll help my brother," Wanda offered.

Thor nodded to her and then carefully picked up his father, grateful that he was strong and tall enough to do so with little effort. He carried him all the way to the master suite and slowly entered. The room was low lit and there was a television on. Tony, who had been asleep, woke with a sudden start when Thor neared the opposite side of the bed and started lowering his father down into it.

"What?" Tony asked with a scratchy throat. It was followed by a few coughs as he sat up and blinked. Then his eyes widened in obvious concern and he quickly shifted to get closer to Bruce. "Is he okay?"

"I think he's very sick," Thor said. "He was coughing badly and he tried to stand, but fainted. He's burning up. Is there a thermometer in here?"

Tony nodded and pointed. Thor quickly moved to the bed stand and grabbed it. He then came back around and placed it on his father's forehead.

"Bruce, babe, I told you I was well enough to help," Tony murmured, sounding a little out of it from whatever cold medicine he was on or maybe from being woken up. "I should have put my foot down. I could tell you were tired."

"And it's been a very trying day," Thor said, but the worried look that Tony gave him made him wonder if the situation at the younger kids' school wasn't the right thing to speak of for the time being. "Jemma has gotten sick now," he said. "And I noticed he seemed very tired all night. I told him to rest."

Tony grabbed the thermometer and looked at it. "Shit. He _is_ burning up. I wish he were conscious. He needs something to reduce the fever." Tony looked around and then sat up. "Thor, can you bring me a damp washcloth?"

Thor nodded and then went into the master bathroom to do so. When he found one, he dampened it and squeezed out the excess water. He then quickly brought it back to Tony, who had an outstretched hand for it. He watched as Tony gently patted Bruce's forehead and face and neck before setting the cloth along his forehead.

"Do you need anything else?" Thor questioned softly.

"Not at the moment," Tony answered, voice pitched low and eyes unwavering from Bruce. "I'm okay enough to handle this for the most part, but if I need you I'll let you know. In the mean time," Tony did glance at him then, "you're in charge."

Thor swallowed hard at the responsibility, but nodded.

 

* * *

 

"Is daddy still sick?" Jemma asked him with a small whine when Thor came into her room.

JARVIS had alerted him that she had woken up coughing and that she was due for another dose of medicine to keep her fever maintained. Thankfully, she seemed to not have gotten the stomach bug part of the virus that some of them were fighting against, at least not yet.

"Yes, Jemma, he's still sick," Thor said gently as he helped her set up so she could take the medicine.

"Did I make him sick?" She asked sadly.

"I think everybody made him sick," he answered as he held the dosage cup to her mouth and helped her take it. "And he was so busy taking care of us that he made himself sicker than he needed to. He needed to rest, but didn't."

"Poor daddy," she said with a small whimper before lying back on her pillow and hugging her teddy bear tighter.

"Don't worry. He'll be okay," he said and then slowly left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Thor then went back to his bedroom and tried to get a little more rest himself, but it wasn't easy. He was beginning to understand how his father had lost himself in the task of taking care of so many people at once. Not that Tony or the older ones needed him to dote on them, but he was fairly certain his father doted on them just the same when he could.

When Thor finally did get some rest it seemed that no sooner had he closed his eyes that he was opening them again to the alert that Peter had just gotten sick to his stomach and would need more medicine. Thor groaned slightly and looked at the time on his bedside clock. Apparently it was already nearly ten in the morning.

He rolled out of bed and made his way to get the stomach medicine. As he passed Loki's room he could hear him throwing up loudly inside. He sighed. He knew Loki wouldn't want his help, but that was one less person to help him.

"Where's dad?" Peter asked in confusion when Thor came into his room. Peter had slept all through the night and hadn't found out about their dad getting sick yet.

Thor ignored his question for the time being. "Did you gargle with hot water?" He asked instead. Their dad always made them gargle with hot water after being sick.

Peter shook his head and went back to do so. When he returned, Thor gave him some medicine to calm his stomach. Peter then climbed back into bed and Thor checked his temperature. It was still a little on the high side.

"Did dad give up on me?" Peter asked melodramatically.

Thor laughed. "Of course not. More like father's body finally gave up on him." Peter's eyes widened in panic and Thor realized his poor wording. "Ah, that is… I mean he got sick. But other than that he's fine. He just finally caught everybody's germs."

Peter gave an audible sigh of relief. "Oh. Well, tell him to get better."

"I will," Thor promised and then left him.

He then went and changed and got clean, feeling more of a need for it than usual after all of the sickness. When he was done, he made for the kitchen and found Jane, Wanda, Harley and, to his surprise, Clint sitting at the table talking.

"How's dad?" Jane asked immediately.

"He was still pretty out of it when I checked with Tony earlier," Thor answered. "His fever was pretty bad and turned into chills during the night, but he woke up long enough to take some medicine apparently." Thor then looked at Clint questioningly. "I'm glad to see you up and about."

"Thanks," Clint said, voice sounding a little rough. "Fever broke day before yesterday and I feel mostly okay now. Just the leftover gunk, but I can't sit in my room another day or I'm going to go crazy."

Thor smiled, understanding the feeling of being restless. "Just don't exert yourself too much," he cautioned him, hoping it was the right thing to say. "And you should probably still not eat too many heavy foods."

Clint groaned. "Okay, Mother Thor."

"Wouldn't it be Mo-Thor?" Harley asked with an impish snicker.

"That was awful," Wanda said about the joke.

Thor shrugged. "And I'm not offended by the accusation. Besides that, Tony put me in charge so I'm just trying to say what my father would. Have you eaten breakfast?"

"You can't cook," Jane pointed out. "Wouldn't we be better off waiting for Loki? He's a little better, no offense."

"I think Loki came down with the bug in the middle of the night," Thor said as he moved into the adjacent kitchen and toward the refrigerator and freezer. "We have toaster pastries," he called back to them. He then opened a cupboard. "And plenty of cereal left."

"Food is food," Harley called back.

Thor shrugged in agreement, pulled out the toaster pastries and put them in the toaster. He then grabbed all the boxes of cereal and brought them to the table along with the milk.

"Jeez, guys," Sam said joining them then, sounding a little congested. "Your arms and legs ain't broke. Go grab your own bowls and spoons at least." He whacked Harley playfully over the head as he sat down.

"Feeling better?" Thor asked.

"Yeah," he nodded. "I was up a little yesterday with your dad's permission, but I'm feeling way better today."

"But you sound ridiculous," Harley teased him.

"And you shouldn't have any milk," Jane warned.

"Wasn't planning on it," Sam said with a shake of his head before looking around. "Is this it? Where's Dr. Banner?"

"He got sick last night," Wanda answered before getting up and heading into the kitchen. "I think you put these toaster pastries on for too long, Thor," she called and Thor hurried back to find out.

Once the pastry crisis was averted and everyone had one, Clint and Sam agreeing to split one for now, Thor grabbed a bowl and spoon and sat back down at the table.

"So who's taking care of the sick people in this house?" Sam asked after a few moments.

"That would be our honorary den mother, Thor," Clint answered with a smirk.

"Which is no easy task," Thor said with a sigh. "And before I forget, I'll tell you what I told Clint. No exerting yourself. How about we just have a marathon of something in the theater room?"

"Eh, beats sitting in my room watching television alone and texting people in the room next to me," Clint said in answer.

 _Thor, Natasha is hungry and requesting a bowl of soup._ JARVIS stated _. Also, Darcy will need to be checked on shortly._

"Thank you, JARVIS," Thor said and quickly finished his breakfast. If there was anything he knew it was never to keep Natasha waiting too long.

 

* * *

 

"JARVIS, I think we're going to need more soup," Thor said as he poured several bowls of chicken soup. There were two for Sam and Clint for dinner and five for Skye, Pietro, Darcy, and Jemma. Steve and Peter still couldn't keep anything down as was learned when they tried to eat some soup at lunch.

_I shall add that to the grocery list._

"Thank you, and please tell Clint and Sam their soup is done."

"Look at you, Mr. Responsible."

Thor turned to see Tony smiling. "I'll take a bowl if there's any left," he said. "So, how's it been going?"

"It's been illuminating," Thor answered. "People are very different when they're sick."

Tony laughed, but it ended in a slight cough. "Yeah, they are. My kids especially. So Clint and Sam are up and about?"

"Yes, but I've had them taking it easy in the theater room. They just wanted to get out of their rooms," he explained, hoping he wasn't wrong.

"As long as they don't have a fever and are feeling up to it, doesn't seem like a problem," Tony said with a shrug. "But don't tell me none of the others aren't helping," he said, gesturing to the bowls of soup.

"Jane and Wanda have been helping, but Wanda got sick after lunch," Thor explained.

"Jeez, who's left then?" Tony asked.

"Well, Clint and Sam are better, and Darcy's fever broke today. Skye joined us briefly, but then went back to bed. Pietro's going to try some soup. Those of us not sick so far are me, Jane and Harley."

"Sounds like you've had a hell of a day then," Tony said coming over and helping him put the bowls of soup onto trays. "Order yourself a pizza or something because clearly you deserve it. Also, I'm tagging myself in."

Thor looked at him hopefully. "You're feeling up to it?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine," he said with a flap of his hand. "The worst of it passed a few days ago. Your dad just wanted me to be cautious and I was still pretty achy most of yesterday. But I think I'm in commission enough to handle it. My technique might not be as effective as your dad's, but it's not fair to ask you to do everything."

"I can still help," Thor responded, but couldn't deny he was grateful for Tony's now being well enough to take over. "How's dad?"

"He's doing better. I've spent most of the day taking care of him anyway," Tony replied. "Got his fever down significantly, but he's spent most of the day in the bathroom." Thor grimaced. "Yeah. And he's probably a few minutes away from kicking me out of the bed if I don't stop fretting over him."

Thor laughed. "That's father."

"But like hell I'm going to stop," Tony said with his own laugh. "He deserves to be taken care of every now and then. I get the impression he's not had a lot of that in his life and I'm going to change that."

Thor smiled and recalled the night before. It was that absolute adoration that Tony seemed to have for his father that made him believe what he had told the others. "I hope you do," he said earnestly.

Tony smiled back and then clapped his hands. "Okay, let's get these sick people their food." He paused. "But, seriously, Thor. Thank you for taking all of this on. You stepped up when you were needed most and you figured out how to get the job done. Not everyone can do that. Although I'm sure today you probably decided never to have this many kids, huh?" Tony finished with a small chuckle and slight cough before grabbing one of the trays.

Thor smiled appreciatively at the compliment as he grabbed another tray. He had to admit that there was something satisfying about being trusted as a leader.

 

* * *

 

Tony returned to Jemma's room to bring her soup. The first time she had been asleep so he had decided to let her continue to do so and have JARVIS notify him when she was awake and ready to eat. This time she was sitting up in bed watching a movie.

"Hey there, beautiful girl. Ready for some soup?" He asked her as he came over to her bed. "Hey, whatcha watching?"

"Big Hero 6," she answered, voice sounding scratchy. He winced, knowing the feeling and knowing she probably felt miserable.

"Oh yeah? You want some company?" He asked her then with a smile.

Her eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah, of course," he said, not sure why she seemed so surprised.

She scooted over and he carefully settled down in the bed beside her and set the tray on her lap.

"I just thought I would get you sick like I made daddy sick," she said softly after a moment.

"You didn't make your daddy sick," Tony tried to reassure her. "He was taking care of me and the others. That made him sick." She didn't say anything and he tried to read her emotions. Suddenly a thought occurred to him. "You're sad he got sick before he could take care of you aren't you?"

Jemma dropped the spoon that she was mostly just swirling around her bowl of soup. She nodded and sniveled. "He always takes care of me when I'm sick."

Tony gently stroked the back of her head. "I know. And it's not fair that you had to share him with so many other people before he was able to get to you, is that it?" She nodded again. "I'm sorry, Jemma. I know I'm not your daddy, but I want to take care of you if you'll let me."

 _Sir, Wanda is quite in need of some assistance_ , JARVIS intoned not even a minute later.

Tony saw the way Jemma's shoulders deflated. "Please alert Thor. If he can't handle it or needs help then I can, but let him know I'm taking care of Jemma right now."

_Yes, sir._

Jemma turned her head and looked at him in confusion. "Daddy would have gone."

"Well, your daddy and I have different styles," he explained. Bruce would also probably scold him for being around Jemma for a prolonged period of time while she was feverish, but he'd already broken that rule by being around Bruce all day. "Your dad's style is probably better than mine," he started with a laugh, "but I told you I would take care of you and right now I think you need some company."

Jemma smiled softly and then went back to eating her soup and watching the movie. When she was done Tony moved the bowl to the bed stand and the tray to the floor. Jemma then curled up against him without his prompting her and he stayed with her until nearly the end of the movie when she passed out again.

Tony carefully moved her to lie down and tucked her in. He checked her temperature and then turned out her light. Gathering up the bowl and tray, he gave one last smile at the sleeping girl before leaving her to make a final round to check on the others, starting with Wanda. The entire time he couldn't help but realize just how attached to Bruce's kids he'd become. He was already starting to forget what it was like before the house had become this full.

That thought was still in his mind when he made it back to his bedroom. He had to pause in the door way at the sight of Bruce lying in his bed. It wasn't just _his_ bedroom or _his_ bed anymore; it was _theirs_ and just like the seven new kids running around the place he was starting to forget what it was like before this change had happened.

Tony slowly made his way over to the bed and climbed in. "You shouldn't be in here, Tony," Bruce mumbled.

"I've been with you all day," Tony countered as he scooted closer. "And I've been taking care of sick kids so we'll just have to risk my technique." Tony hovered slightly to feel Bruce's skin with one hand. His temperature seemed to be coming down much faster now.

"What's that?" Bruce asked in a hoarse whisper, vocals no doubt trashed from his getting sick multiple times.

"My technique is a little more hands on and take chances," Tony answered, smoothing a bit of his hair and then laying down. "And right now my technique involves taking care of you. So do you need anything?"

He could sense the slight hesitation in Bruce and was just about to prod him again when the physicist carefully rolled over and curled up against him, Bruce's head tucking against his chest just beneath his chin. Tony immediately moved his arms to cradle him a little closer.

"How are the kids doing?" Bruce murmured and Tony smiled at his concern amidst his own lousy sickness.

"Sam and Clint are up and about. Looks like Skye and Natasha are next. Darcy's fever broke today. Loki got sick last night. Wanda got sick this afternoon. Pietro, Steve and Peter are still working on keeping down their soup. Thor, Jane, and Harley are hanging on like champs." Tony paused for a moment. "And Jemma seems to only have the fever and sore throat part so far. But, Bruce, I think something else might be bothering her."

He felt Bruce twitch a little in response. "Yeah? Is she okay?"

Tony sighed. "I think so for the most part. But she was really distraught that you couldn't take care of her. And she seemed a little surprised that I wanted to stay and watch a movie with her when I took her some soup. I thought maybe she's just not used to my technique, but I don't know."

Bruce hummed against him. "If we survive this epidemic remind me to talk to her," he murmured and it wasn't long after that he was passed out just like the daughter they'd been discussing.

"Good night, Bruce," Tony whispered fondly and closed his own eyes.

His last thought before sleep took him was he hoped he could remember to remind Bruce since it was important to make sure Jemma was alright.

 

* * *

 

Pietro had been glad not to be sick anymore until his homeroom teacher handed him a folder full of make-up work first thing in the morning on his first day back. He knew it would be the same fate for all of them having missed various amounts of school over the past week and a half, but it was like a nightmare for him. He could barely keep up as it was. Now he had to play catch up in order to keep up.

Worst of all was the math. Word problems. He hated word problems. They combined math and words and were confusing and kept getting harder. So, of course, he would have to and get sick during the beginning of the word problems unit and have to do a whole bunch of them to catch up. If he didn't have to make up the work he'd be happy he had been sick, but he did so he grumbled all the day long.

During math class the teacher aid worked with him all through the period and he made it through at least one of the sheets, but that didn't mean he was any closer to being done or truly grasping how to figure things out on his own. He made it through a few more of the different assignments he needed to catch up on during all of his classes, but he still had a lot left to do when he got home. Which is exactly why he threw his backpack on the floor of his room and ignored it completely.

Dinner that night was equally miserable because after dinner came homework check and Pietro knew he was going to be in serious trouble. His dad would pay extra attention to him since he was the only kid to go back to school that day besides Natasha, but she probably didn't need any help. Wanda would probably go back the next day or day after and Harley had only just gotten sick the day before. Clint, Skye and Darcy had already gone back the two days prior.

So it was no surprise when it came down to him and his shrug of a response wasn't met well.

"What do you mean, you don't know?" His dad looked at him sharply.

"I… I didn't do any of it yet." He shrugged again.

Tony pinched his forehead and closed his eyes. "You have four days worth of homework and you haven't done _any_ of it?"

The question hung in the air and those still at the table looked at him in disbelief and expressions that said 'you're toast' before making an exit.

"Just the stuff I did with the teachers in school," Pietro explained. His dad's eyes opened again. "You're disappointed in me," Pietro said before his dad had to. He looked down at his empty plate in shame.

"Well, I'm a little disappointed, yeah," Tony said.

" _Tony_." Bruce said his dad's name like he was warning him of something and Pietro looked up at Dr. Banner in confusion.

"He knows better than this, Bruce. I don't know how I'm supposed to handle this," Tony argued. "If he doesn’t do the work he'll fall behind again. I don't care that he needs help with this stuff, but he has to at least try."

"Can't you tell he's overwhelmed?" Bruce retorted. "You and I don't have this problem so it's hard to consider his point of view. But, Tony, missing four days of school work already _is_ falling behind. He's expected to hurry up and learn four days worth of lessons in order to catch back up."

Pietro looked back and forth between them. "Please don't fight because of me," he finally said because he really didn't want to be the kid that broke them up on top of being stupid. "I just…" He hung his head again.

Tony sighed. "You are overwhelmed, aren't you?" Pietro nodded weakly. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't consider your feelings, but not doing your homework isn't okay. You had plenty of time before dinner to come talk to me if you needed help."

Pietro looked up again. "I know. I just can't do it. There's too much and there are word problems too."

"Ouch," his dad said and winced. "Still not an excuse, buddy. You have to do your homework or you'll get in trouble. Just how it is."

"Pietro," Bruce interrupted, "how about you bring us your work to look at and we'll see if we can't figure out the best way of tackling it. Sometimes if you break it down, it's not as intimidating."

Pietro was skeptical, but he quickly went to get his backpack. When he returned, the table was cleared and his dad had moved down to a seat next to Bruce and pointed at him to sit in the chair across from him. Pietro did and pulled out his folder.

"Let's see what we've got here," Bruce said opening the folder. Both he and Tony began pulling out the worksheets and assignments. "Huh. Well, first thing I see is English isn't so bad. Most of it is reading the excerpts of _Where the Red Fern Grows_ and then doing the worksheets after. And you don't even need to turn it all in until Friday. So you don't need to focus on that right away and if you want we can read the material together over the next few nights. How's that sound?"

Pietro blinked several times. "I can read it with you?"

Bruce looked at him. "Do you read together as a class or ever follow along with the teacher?"

"Yes," Pietro answered.

"Then I don't see why not. What do you think, Tony?"

"That's what learning's about," Tony agreed. "Now I'm looking at this social studies homework and I know you could have knocked this out of the park already, slugger. You're good with social studies. It's basically the same stuff every year."

Bruce laughed. "That's pretty much true."

"Look, I'll prove it to you," Tony then said. "What's the name of the document that declared all people held as slaves in the Confederate territory be freed?" He looked at Pietro with a raised eyebrow.

Pietro thought about it for a moment. "It's something Proclamation, right?"

"Proclamation is in it, yes," Bruce answered.

"Um… Oh, right. Emancipation Proclamation?"

"You got it," Tony said with a smile and handed the worksheet over to him. "Grab a pencil and get working on that while we go through what else you have here."

Pietro made his way through the worksheet and only got tripped up on one name, but he was close so his dad let him look through his social studies book to correct the answer.

"Okay, you've got another social studies worksheet here since you already got the other two done it looks like," his dad then said once he was done. "But I think you can handle that a little later so let's move on. Vocab is due at the end of the week so we can work on that tomorrow or you can work on it in class, whichever," he said. "That leaves science and math."

Pietro made a face.

"It looks like the science just involves reading about scientists and then answering the questions on the back," Bruce said, studying one of the worksheets. "Doesn't seem too difficult. And it looks like you just need to read the chapter by Friday for a quiz. Why don't we work on math then?"

Pietro sighed. "Fine."

"Okay, let's look at this first one together…" Bruce started. "At the beginning of the week, John's bookshop had 1200 books. He sold 75 on Monday, 50 on Tuesday, 64 on Wednesday, 78 on Thursday and 135 on Friday. What percentage of books were not sold?" Pietro scowled. "I know. This one has lots of numbers, but it's actually much easier than it wants you to think. It's just trying to play tricks with your brain, but I bet you know how to solve it if you really think about it. What is the overall thing the problem is asking you to figure out?"

Pietro looked at the problem like it was the worst thing in existence because at the moment it was, but read it carefully. "Percentage of books not sold," he answered.

"Right. So let's think about this," Bruce said slowly. "Are you a visual learner? Let's try this." He pulled a few of the different worksheets together. "Let's forget about the numbers in the word problem for a second and focus on mechanics. Let's pretend I'm selling these pieces of paper."

Pietro's eyes widened. "How much?"

Bruce laughed. "Any pretend price you want. For you, how about a quarter. And for your dad… A million dollars," he said with a smirk.

"I don't even get the boyfriend discount?" Tony asked with a pout. Pietro laughed.

"Okay, so I have how many papers here to sell altogether? One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Seven altogether. Pietro, how many do you want to buy?"

"Just one," Pietro answered with a grimace.

"Not surprising," Bruce replied with a chuckle and handed him the paper. "You?" He then asked Tony.

"Well, at a million a pop, I think my limit is two," Tony answered with a chuckle of his own before taking two of the worksheets.

"Okay. So now how many worksheets do I have left?" Bruce asked.

"That's easy. Four," Pietro answered with a shrug.

"You're right. It is easy. But what method did you use to reach that easy answer? Besides just counting them."

"Dad and I took three altogether and seven minus three is four."

"Bingo. You're on the right track. You added your paper with your dad's two to get three. So let's look back at the problem. If John had 1200 altogether and we want to know how many he has left after he sells some, what do we have to do first?"

"Oh, add all the books that were sold," Pietro said as it dawned on him. "So all the numbers added together?"

"Yep," Tony said. "See, it's easier than it wants you to think isn't it?"

Pietro nodded and began adding up the numbers on his calculator. "He sold 402 books. So that means he didn't sell 798."

"You got it. So that's the first step," Bruce said encouragingly. "Have you learned about how certain words in a word problem mean what the problem involves?"

"Like 'more than' means adding?" Pietro asked.

"Yes." Bruce nodded. "Do you see any words in that problem that you recognize that tips you off to what you need to do?"

Pietro studied the problem carefully. Finally he shook his head.

"That's okay," his dad encouraged. "Maybe it's a word you missed during lessons. Actually, looking at the sheet I think so."

"Oh," Pietro suddenly remembered, "the teacher aid said percent means… I don't remember."

"You can always look at your math book to find the answer," Bruce supplied.

Pietro quickly pulled out his math book and flipped to the unit the worksheet was from. He scratched his head and sighed as he flipped through the pages.

"Hey, look," Tony stopped him from turning one of the pages. He pointed to the word 'percents' bolded and Pietro brought a palm to his face dramatically. "It's okay. What's it say?"

Pietro studied the rule and accompanying example. "I have to divide by 100 with an x over the top."

"Set it up just like you see there only use the numbers you already came up with," Bruce said patiently.

Pietro moved his pencil to write, but paused. "Would it be 798 or 402?"

"Read the problem again and I think you can figure it out," Bruce encouraged.

"Oh, percentage of books not sold. So… 798 over 1200?" Bruce nodded so he wrote it down and then added the x over 100. Pietro studied the equation with one eye closed. "I know I learned this," he said with a huff.

"That's what the book is there for, kiddo," Tony told him.

He sighed and looked down again at the sample problem in the book. "Oh, right. I did learn that."

"See, you know this stuff, but it's just a matter of refreshing your memory sometimes," Bruce stated as Pietro worked out the problem. "Did you know sometimes I make mistakes in math?"

"I thought dad said you were a genius like him?" Pietro looked at Bruce in disbelief.

Bruce looked at Tony. "Do you just go around calling me a genius?"

"Every chance I get," Tony said with a wide smile before looking at Pietro. "But for the record, genius dad gets the math wrong too sometimes. So you've got this. Looks like you've figured out that 1200x equals 798. You're almost there."

"I have to solve for x?" Pietro asked distastefully.

"Yeah, you have to solve for pesky x," his dad answered.

Pietro looked down at the equation he'd already written and tentatively drew a division line beneath both 1200x and 798 and put 1200 underneath both. He looked up at his dad and Bruce questioningly. Bruce nodded.

Pietro finished it and asked, ".665?"

For some reason his dad winced and Bruce nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that's misleading. Does your book give any additional steps?"

Pietro rolled his head in exasperation before looking down at his book. "To get back to a percentage, multiply answer by 100." He did so with his calculator. "66.5?"

"There you go," Bruce answered with a smile. "66.5% of the books John had were not sold. The next problem is very similar. Why don't you try it on your own?"

Pietro didn't want to, but he started working on the problem just the same.

"You are incredible," Tony said to Bruce.

"Incredible?" Bruce asked. "Pietro, remember that certain words in word problems mean things," he then said and helpfully pointed to a spot in the word problem.

Pietro scrunched his face. "Oh, yeah." He erased part of the equation he'd been setting up and corrected it.

"That," Tony said. "You're still getting over your flu and still sharp as can be and insanely patient."

"Pietro's a good student," Bruce said so easily that Pietro looked up quickly. Bruce was smiling. "I've been a professor so I'm used to this. And I did _a lot_ of tutoring on the side in college for extra income."

"Power to you," Tony said with a laugh.

Bruce chuckled. "Exactly. But Pietro's a good student. So he doesn't get it right away." He shrugged. "That's perfectly fine. It doesn't mean he never will."

Pietro smiled at the vote of confidence and returned to the word problem. He still didn't like math, but maybe he could keep trying if that's what made a good student.


	19. Days in the Lives of Clint and Darcy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like Pietro, Darcy doesn't get much sadly. TW for discussion of Bruce's abuse and his mother's death. Discussion of Maya's death and the trauma that it caused.

"Hey, bestie," Clint chirped sardonically as he flopped down on the couch in the living room where Natasha was curled up with her French homework.

"Don't call me that," she replied evenly. "Besides, I think Sam might not appreciate it."

Clint snorted at that. "Yeah, I don't think Sam notices one way or the other right now."

"Aww, jealous?" Natasha teased him without even changing her inflection.

"Nah, not really," Clint answered with an honest shrug. "Sam deserves it. But it would be nice if he didn't live in the same house as his boyfriend. Seeing our dads make out when they think we're not around—"

She snorted this time, interrupting him. "Please. They don’t care one way or another if we're around when they really get like that."

"Either way that's exhausting enough. Those two kiss like every time is the last. It's too much." He shook his head.

"They'll get over it. Wait until they have their first argument."

Clint groaned. "Hopefully Sam's with his dad by then because who needs that kind of awkward. Bets on who starts it and who apologizes first," he then said impishly.

Natasha immediately sat up and looked at him with a slight quirk of her lips. "Steve overreacts to something and becomes indignant. Sam apologizes. Then Steve apologizes for not apologizing first."

Clint laughed. "Yeah, I could see it going that way. But I'm not so sure Sam would apologize first. Not if he really felt like Steve overreacted."

Natasha hummed. "Well, you might be right. I just know Steve can be a little self-righteous sometimes."

"So how's James?" Clint asked after a moment. "The long distance thing still working?"

"It's not easy," she answered. "I'd like to make it to prom, but sometimes it doesn't feel like enough just with the video chats and texting. It's not that I need the physicality most of the time, but the closeness was nice and…"

Clint tilted his head and studied her. "You think eventually _he'll_ need the physicality?" She pursed her lips and gave a small nod. "Well, as a teenage guy I'd like to say you're wrong, but there's just as much a chance you're right. Sure contrary to popular opinion not every teenage boy out there is singularly minded and I've known plenty of teenage girls who are." He shrugged. "But, yeah, hormones are what they are."

They were silent for a few moments, but then she gave a long sigh. "I used to rib Steve for being jealous, but now that it's him and Sam always in my face I think I might have been a little too harsh. They can go on dates whenever they want to and I can't. I get it now."

"Not that they need to," Clint pointed out. "They're with each other practically 24/7. What's the point of going on a date?"

"You could say the same thing about our dads," she countered.

"Well, some of those things are just charity dates. Mom used to make him take her on real dates too so that's probably why my dad still wants to do that with your dad." Clint paused and tried to remember what it was his mom had called it. "Something about keeping love alive," he said with a shrug. "Besides, our dads seem to be trying to make this a permanent relationship and not just some passing fling. And they've got full time careers and a billion kids. I get why they'd want some time just for themselves. Sam and Steve on the other hand? Yeah, they're just doing it because it's what you officially have to do when you're dating," he ended with a derisive snort.

"And here I thought I was cynical."

"I'm actually not," Clint defended himself quickly. "I'm rooting for them. I'm rooting for our dads. I'm an all around sap underneath my bad boy exterior."

"Bad boy? I didn't peg you as that," Natasha teased.

"Fine, I'm just saying that Sam and Steve need to stop lip locking all the time in public places. Satisfied?"

"Yes," she said smugly. "So what about you? Still pining over your old principal?"

Clint's eyes widened and he turned his head sharply. "Who told you about that?"

She was clearly pleased to have the upper hand. "Now why would I stool on my informant, hmm?"

"Everybody has crushes on their teachers and adults at some point in their youth. It is a normal thing and I have nothing to be ashamed of," he said determinedly even as she laughed a little at him.

"Not everybody," she countered, clearly meaning herself. "So, now that my dad knows my secret what about yours?" Clint raised an eyebrow at her. "The college thing," she elaborated.

He frowned. "That's not really a big deal."

"It might be," Natasha pointed out. "Maybe your dad can help you figure it out. You know he's going to start asking anyways when spring comes around and you have to take your SATs."

"I guess I'll deal with it when the time comes," Clint replied stubbornly, feeling more than a little blindsided by the conversation. Then again, it wasn't entirely her fault. He'd already been thinking about his relationship with his dad a lot since Natasha had opened up more to her own father.

  


* * *

  


"Pizza bagels. Pizza, pizza bagels," Clint sing-songed shamelessly as he beat his drumsticks against the kitchen countertops and waited for his snack to be done. He grabbed a treat from the counter and turned to look at Lucky who was following him around. "Catch, boy," he said and tossed the treat. Lucky caught it and quickly devoured it. "Oh, pizza bagels can't be beat. Pizza bagels, my favorite treat," he continued to 'sing' as he moved from drumming to air guitar.

"Don't spoil your dinner!" Tony interrupted with a wail and air guitar of his own.

Clint rolled his eyes at his dad just as the timer went off on his snack.

Bruce followed behind Tony, chuckling and shaking his head. "Well, if he's anything like Steve and Thor, then I don't think anything could spoil his dinner."

Tony chuckled then. "Ah, youth. To be able to eat anything and everything with abandon again."

"Speaking of Thor," Bruce warned, "I wouldn't go anywhere near him with those if you're really hungry."

"No problem there, Doc," Clint said with a drumstick salute. "I've already learned that lesson."

"Sorry," Bruce said with a small smile and hitch of his shoulder.

"It's cool. I'm used to having my food swiped," Clint said with a shrug. "It's annoying, but I'm used to it."

He moved the pizza bagels from the toaster oven pan to a plate. His dad reached out and grabbed one.

"Ow, ow, hot. Very hot."

Bruce looked at him in exasperated amusement while Clint just looked at him in exasperation.

"See. Everybody thinks it's funny to swipe food from me."

"Technically I pay for all of the food in this house so you're swiping from me," Tony said, pointing at him. "Like, all the time."

"I'm your son. That doesn't count," Clint snarked back.

"And way to make your boyfriend feel like he's freeloading," Bruce said, frowning.

Tony also frowned. "We're not going to argue about this again are we? You're not freeloading."

"You two argue?" Clint looked back and forth between them in slight disbelief. "I mean I assumed at first you guys would since you seem so different, but then you've never really argued in front of us. Disagreed maybe."

"Sure, we argue," his dad said with a shrug. "And disagree."

"Should we be concerned about it?" Clint prompted with a slow, leading gesture of his hand.

"I think Bruce and I can handle some petty arguments from time to time and hold up," Tony replied. "No relationship is perfect. And Bruce hasn't threatened to leave so it must not be too bad," Tony finished with a small laugh.

"As long as you don't trigger my fight or flight response, we should be fine," Bruce assured Tony with a warm smile. He then looked at Clint. "You know what would be a fun meal idea? Making our own pizzas," he said, obviously changing the subject.

"Huh," Clint toned thoughtfully. "We could make our own sauce. Roll our own dough. Since you know that stuff in the stores is garbage."

Bruce laughed. "Yeah it is. Well, how about you find a couple of good recipes and we can do that tomorrow? I'll even pay for the ingredients myself," he added with a teasing glance at his dad.

"Cool," Clint replied genuinely.

"Aww, look at you two bonding over cooking," Tony said in an exaggerated tone of voice.

"Don't make it weird, dad," Clint said, shaking his head as he grabbed the plate of pizza bagels and left the kitchen.

  


* * *

  


Clint looked at the time and then shut his geometry book. Tossing it aside on his bed, he grabbed his phone and noise cancelling headphones and headed for the kitchen. Once there he pulled out the ingredients that had arrived from the grocer that had all of the things needed for two large homemade pizzas. Since the dough took about an hour to rise properly, Clint and Bruce had agreed that he could go ahead and prepare the dough before Bruce and Tony usually arrived home from work.

Clint turned on his music just loud enough to be enjoyable and not interfere with his hearing aid and then set about mixing the dough. When both batches were prepared and set into bowls to rise, he washed his hands and dried them. Turning to leave the kitchen he nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Dude!" Clint shouted and pulled off his headphones. "Give a guy a heart attack, why don't you?"

Loki was leaning on the kitchen island eating an apple and reading over what looked like a play book. The other boy raised his eyebrow at Clint and slowly rose. "And here you're always boasting about your eyes being good. I've been here no less than ten minutes."

Clint looked at him dubiously, but shrugged it off. "I guess when I'm cooking and have the headphones on, I'm not as attentive."

He started to move to leave the kitchen although he could tell Loki was there for more than just an apple. Clint figured if Loki wanted it enough he would mention it. If not, Clint didn't really care.

"I hear you play the piano," Loki said before he was gone.

Clint paused and turned to look at him. That was a curious thing to say. He wasn't sure who would have told him that in the first place. It seemed like somebody in general had been sharing tidbits about him.

"I used to," he answered.

"Well, then let me elaborate. I hear you used to play very well," Loki said.

"Yeah, I was good. Had lots of lessons when I was a kid. Musical therapy," he explained in a clipped, matter-of-fact tone. "What about it?"

Loki gave a long winded sigh as though not wanting to answer. "My friend Sig is putting on a show next month for a community theater. I've been helping her out, but she needs a pianist. She hasn't been able to find anyone willing and everyone willing can't play or won't be available."

Clint felt his neutral exterior drop for just a moment and he could tell immediately that Loki had seen by the strange look that came over his face. Clint looked down for a moment and then back up.

"I don't really play anymore." Loki opened his mouth to say something, but Clint spoke before he could push the subject. "Can I think about it at least?"

"Well, I suppose I don't have much of a choice do I?" Loki drawled the question smoothly. He then threw his apple away and moved past him.

"Are you trying to impress this Sig?" Clint asked without turning.

"By having another boy swoop in and save the day for her?" Loki deflected in an incredulous tone. "If I were my technique is—"

"Just answer the question straight," Clint said sharply, turning on his heel and staring the other teen down. Loki looked visibly taken back for a moment. "Look, man. There are reasons I don't really play anymore so if this is just to help your friend, I'm going to say no. I've only met Sig like a handful of times. She seems nice enough, but I'm sure she'll find someone or rework her little show." He paused. "But if it's to help _you_ , then I just might consider it."

Loki blinked several times. "Why?" He asked dubiously.

Clint gave a silent scoff. "Why? Because in case you haven't noticed this whole crazy lot has turned into a weird little family the past few months. Maybe it's kind of like a circus, but for all you and I know we could wake up and find ourselves stepbrothers one day."

Loki gave a small laugh at that and looked down. "I could just see our fathers eloping without bothering to tell us."

Clint laughed as well. "Yeah and then my dad would probably try to troll us by not telling us for at least a few weeks."

"My father is not without his troll-like tendencies. He may go along with it."

"The point is, if you're asking and it's important to you then in the name of pseudo brotherhood, I'll consider it."

There was a pregnant pause.

"I am. That is, I'm trying to impress her. It's a good show and she's worked hard on it."

"Alright," Clint said a sniff of his nose.

"I'm sure I can guess why you don't play anymore," Loki offered.

Clint clenched his jaw and set his mouth into a hard line for a moment before saying, "You'd be on the right track. But it's a little more complicated than that." He then became tight lipped again.

  


* * *

  


Clint and Bruce both tasted the sauce and nodded their approval at the same time.

"That's good," Bruce said first. "These are going to be great."

"Let's hope my dough turned out," Clint said looking over at the two rolled out crusts.

"I'm sure you did fine. But I think we should add some garlic and butter to them," he suggested.

"Some olive oil too," Clint added and Bruce hummed satisfactorily.

While Bruce set about making a mixture to spread on the dough, Clint waited in silence. He was somewhere in his head, thinking about Natasha's words the day before about college and contemplating Loki's request. He didn't realize he was scowling deeply until Bruce interrupted his thoughts.

"You okay?" Bruce asked in concern as he went over to the dough with the mix and a baster. Clint followed over with the sauce for when Bruce was done. "Anything you want to talk about or just teen angst?" He asked it with a disarming crooked smile.

"Some of it's teen angst I guess," Clint answered with a shrug.

"Well, again, if you want to talk about it," Bruce offered, "I can assure you I'm pretty well versed in the area of teen angst. My teen years were angst on steroids."

Clint considered it for a long moment. "But did you have any college problems? I mean, you're a genius, right?"

"So your dad keeps telling me… and everyone else," he said fondly. "But there was a time, when I was your age actually, that college wasn't even on my radar."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. I came from a pretty bad childhood and I didn't exactly advertise my intelligence because my father abused me for being smart."

"Wait, your dad abused you… _for being smart_?" Clint's eyebrows shot up to his forehead in surprise. "I thought it was always the other way around. Parents get angry if you don't get good grades or make something of your life."

Bruce flinched slightly, but nodded. "Yeah, my dad wasn't exactly sane. And you've seen how super nerds get picked on, right?"

"Well, yeah," Clint admitted.

"That was me. So I tried to hide that. Then I went the opposite extreme and tried to use my genius for—"

"Evil?" Clint raised an eyebrow.

Bruce chuckled. "Oh god, I shouldn't be laughing about it because it was awful, but yes. Like I said. Teen angst on steroids."

"That sucks," Clint said after a moment. "Sorry about that. But then it worked out?"

Bruce looked around them and Clint got the gist of what he was thinking. "Better than I think I deserve, honestly. But I got lucky." Bruce paused and looked considering. "And when I finally did go to college, it wasn't like it was a set path. I got a few masters before finally deciding on my doctorate several years later. And I took some time off to take care of Steve. Then Thor and Loki. And even with the doctorate, I floundered a little with keeping steady employment doing what I wanted. Before your dad swooped in with a job offer, I had no clue what I was going to do after my last job. You can imagine that was a little terrifying."

"Having always had everything, yeah, it is a little terrifying," Clint said honestly. "So are you glad you went to college?"

"Well, yes," Bruce said easily. "Because going to college brought me to Steve, Thor and Loki in ways I never would have expected. And had I not gotten a doctorate, I might never have gotten my last job. And I might never have gone to Germany five months ago."

"And we wouldn't even be having this conversation," Clint finished knowingly. "That's heavy, Doc."

"A little," Bruce agreed with a small snort of amusement. "The basic point is you make choices and sometimes things go the way you plan and other times they don't. College isn't the end-all. My going to college is only really starting to pay off career wise now that I work for your father. But it paid off in other ways that are a thousand times more important."

"Do you think someone has to go to college to end up having a good life? To make something of himself?" Clint finally asked.

"I think you should still have this conversation with your father," Bruce hedged. "I can't speak for his expectations. But, personally, no. I think in today's world you're just as well if you do as if you don't depending on what you're looking to do. There doesn't seem to be in any guarantee if all you're looking for is income and prestige. And I'd say you've already got both by a matter of privilege. If you're looking to do something you're passionate about and that involves college, then I'd say it's still something you should do."

"What if I'm confused and don't know what I want to do?"

"Then I'd say you're like most people your age. You can go to college and waste four or more years and still not end up doing what you want to do. Sometimes a job is just a job." Bruce shrugged. "The first place to start is to really figure out the different things you truly could see yourself doing, even if it takes some work. Then read up on those things, look into them. You'll narrow them down eventually. And," he paused and looked at him intently, "most importantly, talk to your dad. You're very lucky, Clint. I may not have known him long, but I'm certain you have a dad who doesn't care if you're the next Stark prodigy. You know that, right? He loves you and not every kid has that."

Clint saw the conviction in Bruce's eyes and nodded soberly before returning to working on the pizzas. He might not talk to his dad just yet. He thought maybe he should look into those things like Bruce suggested since he'd only casually considered other career and college paths. But Bruce was right and he shouldn't take his own dad for granted.

"I wish the other thing was as easy as that," Clint mumbled then. "Loki asked me to play the piano for this thing he's doing with Sig."

"I wasn't aware you play," Bruce said, interest obviously piqued. "Your dad hasn't mentioned it."

"I bet he hasn't mentioned that he can play too, has he?" Clint challenged.

Bruce furrowed his brow. "No, hasn't come up. I gathered he's musically inclined. His voice is…" Bruce's sentence trailed and his face looked slightly crimson.

"Man, it's weird seeing older people get all goofy for each other." Clint snickered. "But, yeah, dad's got a good voice. I kind of do too, but I obviously didn't get it from him."

"Is Loki asking you to play a problem?" Bruce asked in concern when he had regained his composure. "Because if it is, just say no."

"It's just one of those things I wasn't expecting," Clint said honestly. "I wouldn't mind helping him out. I just wish it wasn't that. I'm not even sure I can still play. I haven't since…"

" _We_ haven't since a few years after Maya's death," Tony supplied and they both turned to see him standing at the edge of the kitchen.

The oven alerted them that it was preheated so Clint distracted himself by putting the finished pizzas in the oven.

"Want to make a salad to go with it?" Bruce asked gently.

Clint nodded, grateful for another distraction as he set about pulling out the lettuce and other vegetables.

"The thing is, we weren't the only two who played. Stane did as well," Tony pressed forward after a moment.

Bruce audibly gasped and Clint set his jaw in anger he wasn't sure would ever really heal.

"He always played our piano. I even remember him playing her favorite song a few nights before the asshole had her killed," Clint finished coldly as he pulled out the salad bowl.

"When it came out that he was behind the hit, it became a bit of a… I don't know if it's a trigger, but we've never really been able to play and enjoy it quite the same way," Tony explained.

"I wish I could," Clint added honestly. "Mom always… She loved it when I played. When dad..."

Suddenly Clint heard tears and he turned to see it was Bruce. His dad's arms were around him, tears in his own eyes, as he tried to soothe him. Clint was angry and sad both, but not to tears. He had a hard time understanding Bruce's reaction.

"I'm so sorry he ruined something you both loved," Bruce started after a moment, pulling slightly away from Tony. "I'm sorry he took so much from you. It's a good thing he's not here because I would…" He seemed to remember himself. "I'm sorry, that's not an appropriate thing to say."

"Like hell it's not. I'd kill him too. I know I would. And I'd kill your dad too if I could," Tony said angrily.

"Yeah, your dad sounds like he was awful," Clint offered in small agreement just to return the favor, although he was still genuinely confused as to how someone could treat a kid that way just for being smart.

"You told him?" Tony asked, looking at Bruce.

"Not everything," Bruce answered with a shake of his head.

Clint furrowed his brow in confusion. He knew he shouldn't pry, but he wanted to. Before he could, however, Bruce turned to him with what looked like steely determination.

"You don't have to," Tony told him, with a hand on his shoulder. Bruce just squeezed that hand gratefully.

"My mother was killed by an asshole too," Bruce said, voice tight.

Clint felt his stomach drop and his face fall. "Your father?" He asked with a small voice.

Bruce nodded. "He stole everything from me that night. Right in front of me," he choked out. Clint's eyes widened and prickled with tears as well. "He stole the only person who loved me at the time. He stole the only person who encouraged me to be me. He stole my intelligence, my dignity, my trust, my humanity. He stole things that I never thought I would get back. And it's maybe a miracle that I did."

Clint suddenly understood why he was sharing the raw story. "You got everything back."

"I never got her back," he said sadly and Clint saw the way he wrung his hands like a nervous tick. "But… I got her love back. I love my children with the same love that she had for me," he said. Clint thought it sounded slightly poetic. "I used to only see glimpses of my dad when I looked in the mirror. Now I see glimpses of her. Sometimes I think I see glimpses of her in Jane and Jemma. I got more love than I could ever imagine in seven wonderful children and because I guess the universe decided I could stand a little more, I've got all of you and I hope it lasts because I don't mind it at all."

He paused again. "And I'm not afraid to be me anymore. In fact, being me has also gotten me more than I could have hoped for. I got my intelligence back, my dignity, my humanity, my love for science… I'll always miss her and I wish she could have lived. She deserved to live just like your mother."

Clint was silent for several moments. He watched as his dad turned Bruce back around to face him and then, cupping his face gently, kissed him; it looked equally tender and broken.

"I think we're starting to get stuff back too," Clint finally said and he wasn't even surprised to find that he meant it.

  


* * *

  


Tony found Bruce in the lab. He stared into a microscope for so long that Tony wondered if his mind was a million miles away. Likewise, he wondered if Bruce had come here to this particular spot in part because of his knowledge that it had once been Maya's refuge. In light of everything that had happened over the course of the night, including Clint's choosing to start gradually by downloading a piano app on his tablet, Tony wondered if Bruce was feeling the weight of what Clint had implied. Tony knew he certainly felt the weight of being something good the universe had brought back to Bruce.

"Working on anything groundbreaking?" Tony finally asked in a low voice.

Bruce startled slightly. "Just a little of my at home tests synced up with what we're working on," he answered, turning on his stool to look at him. "The project is so close to a breakthrough, but we haven't hit on the right simulation yet," he said with a weary sigh.

"You know the deadline is tentative," Tony assured him. He knew that Bruce had been working tirelessly to make up for the time he'd been away from work to take care of the kids and then when he got sick himself. "Don't work yourself t—" He bit his tongue, unable to even finish the statement. Right now it felt too raw of an expression.

Bruce seemed to understand. "Tentative or not, it's important," he said. Then he moved to put the sample away. "But tonight's clearly not the night I'm going to make a breakthrough so it can wait."

"Good," Tony said in genuine relief. "Because I was going to take a shower if you want to join me."

Bruce didn't say anything rather just came over to him and nodded. Tony could still see the shadows of his earlier emotion all over his face. He looked as vulnerable as Tony felt, and probably also looked.

"And, honestly, after that I just want to hold you if that's okay?" Tony added when Bruce didn't say anything.

Tony could stand to be held as well, and they would end up holding each other in all reality – a mess of tightly tangled limbs and the comfort of hearts beating against one another, but he needed to feel Bruce in his arms. He needed to know he was safe and still there. He perhaps needed the tangible evidence of the promise in his head that he wasn't going to let Bruce go, not now that he had been given something good back again. He perhaps just needed to hold him because there had been too many years in Bruce's life that he had nobody to want to just hold him and keep him safe.

Bruce maybe understood that too because without a word he gently grabbed Tony's arms and wrapped them around him before slipping his own arms around Tony. Tony decided the shower could wait a little longer and they stood there holding each other, Bruce relaxing in his arms the way Tony relaxed in his.

  


* * *

  


Darcy looked back and forth between her two frames as she compared them with her outfit. Today she had to give a persuasive speech in English class and she was already so nervous that picking the wrong glasses might just be an end of the world crisis.

As soon as Jane emerged from the small en suite, Darcy turned to her. "Jane, which frames do you think I should wear with this outfit?" she asked pleadingly.

Jane tilted her head as Darcy modeled both options. Then after what felt like _forever_ Jane pointed to the pair that Darcy had been leaning toward.

"Those. Definitely those," Jane affirmed with a nod. "Are you still nervous?" she asked as she walked across the room to her bed to start getting her things together.

"Yeah," Darcy answered with a crinkle of her nose as she followed Jane's lead in putting things into her backpack. "Clint says I should just imagine everyone in their underwear, but that would just make me laugh or feel really uncomfortable."

"Yeah, don't do that," Jane said as they left the room to go to breakfast.

Sitting down at the table, Darcy looked around curiously. "Where's your dad?" She asked any of the Banner kids that would answer as she grabbed for one of the boxes of cereal on the table.

"In the lab apparently," Peter answered.

"It's an occupational hazard," Tony added. "He's been working on a project and needed to check some simulations."

"I don't know what any of that means, but okay," she said with a cheerful shrug. "It's just weird not seeing him. Other than when we were sick, he's always at the table."

"And serving us more nutritional food than cereal," Skye pointed out and Darcy snickered as did Harley.

"It's healthy cereal and there's fruit," Tony countered. "Give a guy a break. And if you want something else, you know where the kitchen is. Bruce and I are your dads, not your servants."

"Clint, go make your favorite sister an egg?" Skye then asked and looked at him with a pout.

"My favorite sister didn't ask," Clint retorted and Skye scrunched her face in disgust at his insult.

"Who's your favorite?" Darcy asked hopefully.

"My secret," Clint answered unhelpfully.

"You know," Pietro interrupted, talking with his mouth full, "when you say you and Bruce are our dads it sounds like you're saying you're both all of our dads."

Darcy took a bite of her own cereal and looked at her dad, curious for his response. Tony set aside his phone and cleared his throat.

"Yes, well, we're both fathers so we're both in a position to be, uh, father figures if you need us so I think the phrasing works. Besides, I was addressing all of you and you both have a dad. There are two dads in this house."

Darcy looked back over to see Pietro roll his eyes. "Obviously. I know that. I'm just saying what it sounds like." He shrugged.

Tony looked at them all in concern. "Please tell me this isn't suddenly an issue. Is this an issue? Raise your hand if what Pietro thinks it sounds like makes you uncomfortable."

Sam raised his hand and Tony shot him a look. "What? Neither of you are my dads," Sam said jokingly.

"Thank goodness," Steve mumbled. Darcy giggled because she thought Steve and Sam made a cute couple.

"Okay, now that we've established that neither Dr. Banner nor I are Sam's father—"

"Sam, they are not your father," Harley said, imitating Darth Vader.

There were more laughs around the table, especially from Peter beside him. Tony sighed.

"Wow, sounds like there's a lot of energy for a Monday morning," Bruce said, joining them then with a friendly smile. He didn't smile as often or as widely as her dad, but Darcy thought he had a nice smile that made her want to smile too.

"I'm not uncomfortable," Darcy volunteered regarding her dad's previous question.

"Thank you," Tony said with an appreciative look. "Anyone else in agreement with Darcy?"

Darcy watched as everyone looked around at one another and every hand went up. Beside her, Jemma seemed slightly confused before raising her hand too.

"What did I miss?" Bruce asked with a small laugh. "Was somebody just voted off the island?"

"We need to go camping over spring break and do, like, an actual survivor," Skye suggested. "We can film it and have challenges and split up into teams. It would be cool."

Their dad gave an exaggerated laugh. "Yeah, no. More like dangerous." He then looked at Bruce. "The kids have decided they're not uncomfortable with our co-parenting so far."

"Except me," Sam chimed in cheekily.

"Well, you're not our kid so your opinion doesn't matter," Bruce deadpanned and Tony as well as some of the kids snorted in amusement.

"What do you mean I'm not your kid?" Sam asked with a sad expression and then looked down at his arms. "I always knew I was different."

Bruce laughed openly and Darcy followed suit, enjoying the mood.

"Seriously, there sure is a lot of energy for a Monday morning. What did you do to them while I was in the lab?" Bruce asked with a smile and raised eyebrow.

"Would you say it's _manic_ energy?" Tony asked.

Darcy looked in confusion as Bruce's smile fell and his eyes widened. She looked back to her dad to see he had that look Harley got when he was being an annoying boy.

"Oh no," Bruce said. "Don't even—"

"Hey, J, I'm feeling The Bangles this morning," Tony said. "I think you can guess the song."

_Yes, sir._

Suddenly a song Darcy had never heard before came on over the speakers in the house and Bruce groaned loudly.

"You are evil!" He shouted.

Somewhere in the second verse the song cut off and JARVIS told them, _The vehicles are ready_.

"Thank you, JARVIS," Bruce said in clear relief.

"Saved by the AI," Tony said. "Alright, everybody. Time for school. We're ready to learn…"

"And get some knowledge!" Darcy finished the quote. She was good at quoting things.

"Exactly! Hey, remember, you're going to do great on your speech," Tony said to her. "You're an excellent talker so you go in there and talk until they listen. Trust me, it works."

She smiled and nodded her head determinedly. Everyone said she had her dad's mouth and her dad was very persuasive so maybe she could do this.

  


* * *

  


Darcy took a deep breath and prepared for her closing statement. She held her head up high again and continued with what she hoped had been a good speech. It felt like a good speech, but some people were always telling her to _stop talking_.

"In conclusion, the ending of _The Giver_ is a happy one. It doesn't matter if a reader thinks what Jonas saw is real. The life they left behind would have never been happy. Gabriel would have been released and Jonas would have been forced to know about it. If the story was never continued, the ending still would have been happy. Jonas and Gabriel still would have been freed from their op-" she choked on the word, nerves taking over again, "-oppressive society and that is why it is a happy ending. If the characters froze to death as some suggest or if they truly found a place Elsewhere, they were freed from the hive mindset that would have killed Gabriel and made Jonas miserable."

Darcy exhaled and her eyes refocused on the classroom. As was expected after every speech, the rest of her classmates applauded – some more enthusiastically than others. She nodded in thanks and then looked at the teacher who stood off to the side of the classroom recording the speeches for the class webpage.

"That was wonderful, Darcy," the teacher said encouragingly as she lowered the camera. "Good use of vocabulary words and presentation of both sides of the argument. You may take a seat."

Darcy was practically on cloud nine as she sat back down at her desk. She had been nervous, but now that the nerves had worn off she felt like she had done well. She liked when she got to feel smart or good at something. Clint was good at stuff, Skye was really smart, Wanda was really smart, Harley was smart even if he didn't always try, and Pietro at least was good at running and surfing. And all of Dr. Banner's kids seemed to be great at things.

Darcy was good at talking and quoting movies and shows and she was always discovering new songs to add to her music collection that was only second to her dad's infinite knowledge of music; although he was always sharing old music and his favorites with her to make her knowledge even greater. It wasn't that Darcy didn't like being good at those things, but she knew it was just silly stuff compared to everyone else. She sometimes even envied Jane who was absolutely the smartest kid she'd ever known.

Lost in her thoughts, the rest of the class flew by and the final bell rang, English being her last class of the day. The teacher dismissed them and Darcy gathered her things.

"Darcy," the teacher stopped her before she could leave, "I have a note for your father." Darcy waited for the teacher to pin it on her backpack – such an annoying rule, Darcy thought, since anyone could just take it off – and then left.

"How did it go?" Jane asked her when she met her at her locker.

"I think it went well," Darcy answered with a smile. "It was nice feeling good at something."

Jane gave her a strange look as she shut her locker and they left the school to meet the others and wait for the car if it wasn't there yet – since it usually picked up their older siblings first. "You're good at things," Jane said. "You always have super cute outfits. And you're never afraid of saying what you think. And you know like a million songs."

"Yeah, but those things aren't smart," Darcy pointed out.

Jane crinkled her nose and tilted her head. "Well, maybe not book smart, but my dad is always saying that it's okay if I want to try things that aren't science even if I won't be as good at them. And then one time I really wanted to try ballet like Natasha and I wasn't very good and I didn’t really like it. He told me what matters is I enjoy what I'm doing or else being good at it is pointless. That's when he told me it's also okay that I focus so much on science as long as I really enjoy it and am being true to myself. I love science and it makes me work harder to be good at it."

Darcy thought about it for a moment. "I _do_ like talking and listening to music."

"So that's what's important. Did you like giving the speech or did you just like feeling smart?" Jane asked.

"I think I really liked it," Darcy said quickly. "It was kind of terrifying being in front of the classroom, but also kind of fun. Sometimes it feels like nobody ever listens to me. I'm just the annoying tag along Stark," she said truthfully. "So having people listen to me and trying to convince them of things was kind of nice."

"Then maybe you were good at it because you like it," Jane suggested as they made it outside.

To their surprise their dads were standing there waiting along with Wanda, Pietro, Harley, Peter and Jemma. They were usually still at work.

"What are you doing here?" Darcy asked as soon as they reached them. She then turned around to show the note to her dad.

"Monday got a little too manic," her dad said with a laugh and she felt him pull the note off. She turned around and gave him a curious glance. "There was a lab accident in R&D. Had to evacuate the whole building just to be on the safe side," he explained.

"Are you okay!?" Jane suddenly asked in slight panic, looking at her own dad.

Bruce smiled and nodded. "I'm fine. It wasn't the lab I'm in. Nobody was seriously injured, thankfully. Which is why it's important to follow safety guidelines," he tacked on.

"Very true. So we thought we'd round up the gang and go get an early dinner out," Tony said as he read over the letter. After a moment he smiled broadly. "Hey, my daughter the superstar," he said and Darcy's eyes widened. "Your teacher said you did so well on the speech that she'd like to recommend you…" He looked back down and read it very deliberately. "'…as a representative of the school for a regional middle school debate association.'"

"Really?" Darcy couldn't believe it and he passed her the note to look over. "That's so cool!"

"Are you interested?" Tony asked her.

She looked up at him and nodded furiously. "I really liked talking until people listened," she said, echoing his words from that morning.

He smiled at her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they moved toward the car. "I bet you did," he said and squeezed her shoulders in a strong side hug.

 

* * *

 

"Daddy..."

Bruce looked up from his work, the work he would have gotten done if not for the evacuation at work, to see Jemma staring at him hopefully. He smiled softly.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Can you read to me before bed? You only read to me once last week," she pointed out with a frown.

Bruce looked at his work and then Jemma again. "I…" He couldn’t say no. "Alright. Let's go."

He didn't regret his decision as her face lit up and she clung to his arm. They walked to her room and he waited for her to get settled into bed before settling down beside her with the current Anne book they were on.

Three pages in, Bruce somewhat began to regret his decision. Yawn after yawn he felt his eyes droop, words running together, and he wanted nothing more than to lie back and just fall asleep.

"Daddy?" Jemma tugged at him.

Bruce startled. He had apparently nodded off. "I'm sorry, Jemma," he apologized and rubbed his eyes underneath his glasses. "Daddy's just having a hard time focusing on the story tonight."

"Are you okay?" Jemma looked at him worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm just a little tired," he answered her with a sigh. "Would you be upset with me if I said I'm too tired to keep reading to you tonight?"

Jemma looked thoughtful, lips pouting in obvious dislike of the prospect. "Can I read to you?"

Bruce decided it was a compromise worth trying and nodded. He enjoyed listening to his smart little girl read over the text easily enough. He enjoyed explaining to her the words and concepts she couldn't quite yet understand but wanted to learn. He also enjoyed sleep.

"Bruce." The calling of his name was accompanied by a hand on his shoulder.

Bruce opened his eyes to see Tony standing over him. He blinked owlishly and looked around to see he was still in Jemma's room. According to the clock it was a little over an hour later and his daughter was passed out against him. He hadn't even recalled falling asleep and wondered if Jemma had been upset with him.

"Maybe I should have let you sleep," Tony said after a moment, clearly studying him.

"No, it's… It's fine," he said, waking up. He slowly moved from the bed and situated Jemma so that she was properly laid down and tucked in.

"You okay, Bruce?" Tony asked him in the hallway. Bruce turned to see the engineer's face lined with worry. "Not to make it an issue, but maybe you've been burning the midnight oil a little too much the past few days. Not that I'm anyone to judge on the matter, but even super geniuses need sleep."

Even as Tony made the accusation Bruce's body betrayed him with a yawn. "I guess I have," he admitted. "I… Yeah, I'm going to bed," he decided, eyes beginning to grow heavy again.

Tony leaned in and gave him a kiss. Bruce returned it lazily.

"I'll join you in a few minutes."

Bruce nodded and left toward their bedroom, fairly certain he would be out cold again before Tony even got there. He sighed deeply. He would be glad when this current project was complete. He felt a little like he was going through the motions and he didn't like it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Tony being musical earlier in the story was so to connect him with Clint - guilty pleasure because Jeremy sings/plays too so and because I thought it could add that layer with how Stane played the piano in IM and putting that in this story. And to connect him with Darcy by being the enabler of her music collection.   
> 2\. I especially wanted Clint to be the first of Tony's kids to learn the story about Bruce's mom since I felt he would connect most with it given he was Maya's oldest son and likely to have the most memories of her.   
> 3\. Darcy, my precious little pumpkin... She gave me so much trouble because she's a small player in the films and she already had the glasses connection with Bruce early on. That's why I focused on her connection with Tony and trying to define her character towards something closer to what she is in the films - talks a lot, likely to be skilled at persuasive speaking given the poli sci thing, music collection, quoting stuff, and also her friendship with Jane.   
> 4\. The Jane + ballet thing is a joke about Portman being in Black Swan.


	20. Days in the Lives of Jane and Wanda

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw for very homophobic and anti-surrogacy language/slurs in this chapter as well as discussion of potential child endangerment

Jane was super excited. No, excited didn't even cover it. She practically skipped at Tony's side as she walked with him to the front of the auditorium where Dr. Erik Selvig was preparing for a lecture he was going to give. Her dad had known him before she was born and had even worked with him shortly when she was really young, but she'd never met him.

Tony had said that was criminal and had volunteered to take off work and take her to the lecture. Her own dad would have, but he was working really long and hard on a project at work – and at home too when he could. But her dad did call Dr. Selvig and ask if he would meet her before the lecture. She had been excused from classes for the day so long as she wrote a paper on the lecture which would be no problem _at all_.

"Dr. Selvig," Tony said, using what Jane had begun to think of as his professional voice since he was more congenial once he started talking, especially to people he liked.

"Ah, Mr. Stark," Selvig said as he came down the stairs to meet them in the area in front of the stage. He extended his hand to Tony. "Very nice to see you again. It's been a while," he said.

"It has been," Tony said with a nod. "You know we'd love to have you at S.I., but I still respect your declination." Tony looked down at her and gently placed a hand on the top of her back. "Rhis is Dr. Banner's daughter, Jane."

"Of course it is," Selvig said, offering her a warm smile and extending his hand to her. Jane took it and he shook it just as warmly. "He had a picture of you on his desk when we worked together. You were just a little thing then," he said and Jane smiled even more widely. "I'm happy to finally meet you."

"I'm so happy to meet you too!" Jane tried not to squeal as she let go of Selvig's hand, but it was hard. She was just so excited. "Your work is amazing. You're changing the world of astrophysics and all of your theories are just brilliant."

Selvig laughed, but it didn't sound like a mean laugh. It was more like a pleasantly surprised laugh. "I can't say I've met with many kids your age interested in my theories let alone who would call them brilliant. Thank you."

"That's because Jane here is well on her way to being just as brilliant," Tony said, looking down at her with a smile. "You might want to watch out, Dr. Selvig. She may overshadow you one day."

Selvig smiled at that. "I'd be perfectly fine with that. Science is about progress and as Newton said, standing on the shoulders of giants in order to see further. I believe if you have the privilege to be counted as a giant as well, you should then let others stand on your shoulders. Science thrives when it is a community."

"Can I quote that for my paper on the lecture?" Jane asked hopefully, inspired by the quote. She also wanted to put it up on her inspiration board.

"Absolutely," Selvig answered. "And I hope you take that to heart because there will be times in your quest for scientific progress that you may come up against those who don't share that opinion."

"Or they lose sight of it," Tony added and Jane thought he sounded a little sad. "My late wife used to speak a lot about how all scientists start out naïve and wide-eyed, just wanting to change the world. Then, more times than not, ego steps in. Her favorite quote was von Braun's one about the rockets."

"Mm," Selvig hummed in understanding. "Also a very good one to keep in mind. So what are your interests, Jane?"

"Astronomy," she answered. "And its application to physics. I'm particularly interested in the Einstein Rosenstein Bridge."

Selvig's eyes widened and he looked at Tony. "I know. Just like her father," Tony said, sounding proud.

"If I remember my years, you can't be older than 13," Selvig said in awe. She nodded. "That's incredible. You have a very bright future ahead of you if you're already tackling Einstein and Rosen. I've done considerable amount of work on that theory as well. In fact, I'll have to send you a copy of my next collaborative book when it's published in the spring. It's all about the application of the theory and the potential for creating stable, working wormholes within the next decade."

Jane's face lit up at the possibility.

"I don't know," Tony said skeptically. "I'm all for progress, but I can't say I'm ready for wormholes. Sounds like, well, opening a can of wormholes." He looked down at her, smirking slightly.

Jane rolled her eyes, smiling as she did.

Selvig laughed. "You couldn't resist could you?" He looked down at Jane. "Incidentally, she looked just like Dr. Banner just now."

"Yeah, Bruce definitely has the tendency to roll his eyes at me a lot. He just can't help but be charmed by my ability to be corny and amusing at the same time. Must run in the family."

"So I was a little surprised when Dr. Banner called me," Selvig said. "Even more so when he said you would be the one bringing Jane here to meet me."

Jane shared a smile with Tony. "I take it you don't keep up with the tabloids?" Tony asked.

"No, can't say that I do. But you can imagine I did a quick search after Dr. Banner's vague call. I would have just asked him, but he seemed pretty busy," Selvig explained.

"He has been," Tony supplied. "His department is working on a project the shareholders would prefer to see moved from R&D by the end of this quarter."

"Ah, I see," Selvig said. He then looked between the two of them. "But talk about solving the two-body problem." Tony chuckled and Jane scrunched her face in confusion. "Two geniuses and thirteen kids," Selvig said with a whistle. "So is it going well?"

"It is!" Jane chirped the answer before Tony could.

"There you have it," Tony said with a nod. "But, yeah, it really is. We haven't been together long, but I'm pretty crazy about the guy. Of course, who wouldn't be?"

"And dad's totally crazy about Tony too," Jane said helpfully with a smile.

"That's good," Selvig said, returning the smile. "Because your dad definitely deserves someone great. I really wish I was in town longer, but you know how the lecture tours can be. I'd love to catch up with both of you," he said to Tony.

"Well, if you're free Christmas, I'll send you an invite to the Christmas gala at SI. If not, next time you're free give me a call and we'll set something up. I'm sure Bruce would like that. Besides, I think Jane might like to be your protégé."

Jane smiled at that idea, but also at the idea of her dad and Tony and plans for the future. She was looking forward to their first Christmas all together.

 

* * *

 

"The food here is so good," Jane said as she took another bite of her desert, which was ice cream with shortbread and brittle. The chicken burger she'd had was good too. She wanted to ask dad to start making chicken burgers. "Thank you for taking me today, Tony."

Tony smiled at her as he finished a bite of his own desert, which was a fancy candy bar that he'd let her try some of – she'd let him have some of her ice cream too. "You're very welcome," he said. "The lecture was great and I'm having a blast just hanging with you. It gets a little crowded sometimes. Wish I could spend more time with all of you, you know?"

Jane liked that idea. She still loved her dad, of course, but – just like the ohana she and the others had talked about a few weeks earlier – she really liked having Tony around almost like a second father. She definitely didn't mind their co-parenting. Now when her dad was busy, since he'd certainly been busy sometimes when it was just him at their old place even if not to this extent, there was someone else she could turn to.

"It does get crowded," Jane said thoughtfully, "but it's a good crowded. And it's kind of weird now when everybody's split up doing different stuff. It was really weird when we were sick." Although, she hadn't gotten much more than a sore throat and cough which she was still grateful for.

"I think you just made my day," Tony said, beaming. "But this is nice too. Just a little one-on-one. You kids deserve that too."

"Yeah, it _is_ nice," Jane admitted. She had always cherished those small moments when it was just her and her own dad and none of her brothers and sisters.

"Maybe your dad and I should—" Tony started, but stopped abruptly. His eyes darted beyond her and Jane scrunched her face. "Son of a—" He firmly bit down on his lip before he could finish the curse and Jane looked over her shoulder in confusion. "Jane, take out your phone now. And hit record. Just trust me. And put it in your lap okay?"

He sounded slightly frantic so she complied. She pulled her phone out of her shoulder bag, quickly accessed the recorder and then hid the phone from plain sight. At that moment Tony stood to his feet with a displeased look on his face and Jane looked up. She startled at the sight of the man who had approached their table.

She knew the man was Aunt Betty's father and a mean man who she, Uncle Leonard and her dad had worked hard to keep away from them. She knew not even Leo really had a relationship with his grandpa anymore because Aunt Betty didn't trust him. Dad had warned them to run away and find a police officer if they ever saw him. But looking up at Tony she knew he would keep her safe.

"Mr. Stark," the man said coldly.

"General Ross," Tony said his name snidely. "Though, if I were in charge you'd have your rank taken away."

"If you were in charge I wouldn't have anything to do with the military," General Ross replied. "I knew you'd turned into one of those Greenpeace zombies, but now I'm thinking maybe I should have you investigated for being an unfit parent too. Clearly you don't care about their well-being if you're willing to let them near that psychotic _freak_ you're dating."

Jane wanted to jump up and scream at the lying General. "My father is not a freak!" She protested loudly instead. "And Tony's a great dad." She then fixed him with a defiant gaze as he turned to look at her with a raised brow. "In fact, I hope my dad marries him so he can be my stepdad."

"Oh, so this is one of Banner's?" He studied her. "One of his _surrogates_?" He spat the word like it was an insult and Jane scowled at him. "Doesn't it disgust you that your father used your real mother for his own selfish gain? All because he wanted to play house while still taking it in the—"

"Hey!" Tony practically snarled. Tony was around to the other side of the table and standing in front of her protectively before Jane could even blink. She peaked past Tony's arm to see the General step back in disgruntlement. "You will not speak to her again. In fact," Tony gestured for the waiter, "I'm going to have you removed from this establishment."

General Ross snorted. "And how do you suppose that?"

"Because you're in violation of your restraining order," Tony said with a calm edge to his voice.

"Like a piece of paper can stop me," General Ross said in a derisive tone. "Whoever issued that order is a crackpot like every single person who allowed that 'man'," he air quoted in disgust, "to become a father."

"You are unhinged," Tony replied, "but I'll be sure to let the judge know what you said about him."

"You, Mr. Stark, have just made me your enemy. You made good weapons once upon a time, but that won't prevent me from making it my personal goal to see that both of you get what you deserve."

"Ah, yes," Tony ignored him and spoke to the waiter that had just arrived. "I'm ready for the check and I would like this man held by hotel security until my boyfriend's daughter and I leave the building. If there are any questions I'll be glad to answer them, but he is in fact in violating a restraining order at the moment so if you could be so good—"

"Of course," the waiter said immediately and Jane watched as he spoke into the com attached to the lapel of his suit.

After a few moments, General Ross was escorted away and Tony spoke briefly with hotel security about the incident. During this time, Jane stopped the recording and emailed it to Tony. She then finished her desert, angry at the man who wanted to split up her family but hopeful that Tony and her dad would never let that happen.

"I'm sorry that happened, sweetheart," Tony said when he returned.

Jane stood quickly and hugged him tightly before he could sit back down. "I know you won't let him hurt us."

He hugged her back strongly. "Don't worry, Jane. All of this will be handled. No way is this going to happen again."

 

* * *

 

Later that evening, things became a little like a madhouse at home. The police showed up as did Pepper, Happy and Tony's lawyer. Before they'd left the restaurant, Tony had forwarded the recording Jane had emailed him to his legal team. And apparently when he'd been speaking with security, it had been arranged that the police would get involved. However, Jane's dad was the one who had the order so he needed to talk to the police directly.

She was forced to talk to them too and detail everything that had happened such as body language that couldn't be seen on the recording. They were apparently going to check what she said with the security footage from the restaurant. She didn't care because she hadn't lied and her memory was excellent.

After that the police talked to them all individually. Jane wasn't sure if they asked her and the others the same questions, but they had asked her if any of General Ross' claims were true and that it was safe to tell the truth. She told them that the only truth was that General Ross was a liar. She was happy, her dad was neither abusive nor mean, he and Tony took care of them, and it would be devastating if somebody believed he was telling the truth and tried to take her and the others away from their fathers. After all, she told them, she had meant it when she said she would like to have Tony as a stepdad.

"I know what you went through might have been unnerving," one of Tony's lawyers said. She was looking at Jane although she was addressing them all after the police had gone. "But we have a very strong case now against him. His admittance to not caring about breaking the restraining order is grounds for a criminal charge. I don't think he'll be bothering you anytime soon if we get our way and any damaging press angle he was working hopefully won't get traction after this."

"Thank goodness," Bruce said with a very heavy sigh of relief. "You can't imagine how much of a relief that is to me."

"I think I can," the lawyer replied and Jane thought there was something about the way she said it, like she'd been hurt too by someone mean like General Ross.

After a few brief words with Bruce and Tony the lawyers left with Pepper and Happy. After that, they ordered Chinese food for dinner since it was a little later than usual.

While they waited, Bruce found Jane on the couch, working on her paper about the lecture. She smiled at him as he sat down beside her and moved a little so he could wrap his arm around her and she could lean against him.

"You okay?" He asked after a few quiet moments.

"I'm so mad about all the mean things he said," she answered honestly. "He said mean things about you. And he said mean things about Tony too."

"Some people are just mean," her dad said with a sigh. "You really like Tony don't you?"

Jane furrowed her brow. "Of course. Oh… You mean what I said on the recording?"

"Mmhmm."

"I meant it," she told him. "But I know it's not my place to say," she added quietly. "Just, if you ever do, I'm okay with it."

Her dad didn't say anything in response, just kissed her on top of her head and then asked her questions about the lecture and meeting Dr. Selvig.

 

* * *

 

Bruce groaned slightly and turned over before waking with a start. He sighed immediately as he returned to the waking world from his uncomfortable dream. He lay there in the darkness in no hurry to go back to sleep should it be much of the same. He lay there telling himself over and over that everything was okay, nobody was going to take away his kids, his kids loved him, Jane wasn't mad about being a surrogate, Ross would never hurt them, Ross would never be able to hurt Tony…

Sighing again, Bruce wondered if Tony would worry if he headed to the lab should he wake sometime after he'd gone. He didn't want to worry him, but he wasn't sure laying there would be any use and he didn't want to wake Tony with the bright screen of his tablet.

After a moment of contemplation, he decided to go to the bathroom and try to calm his nerves a little instead. He grabbed one of the cups they kept in there and took a drink of water. He also very pointedly didn't look in the mirror. He didn't need dysmorphic glimpses of his father and that was a very good chance in his state of mind.

Returning to the bedroom he paused and looked at the door before looking at Tony. Any thought of going to another part of the house to busy his mind was immediately forgotten when he saw Tony flinch violently and clench at the covers. He mumbled something incoherent, but his tone was desperate.

"Tony," Bruce said gently, moving back over to the bed and crawling in beside the dreaming billionaire.

Tony didn't wake, but his hands relaxed. Bruce moved until he was close enough for their bodies to be pressed together at the tops of their arms. He then laced their hands together and began rubbing gentle circles against Tony's skin with his thumb.

Tony flinched and mumbled again, but Bruce said nothing more. Instead he waited for Tony's body to sense his presence and signal to Tony that he was dreaming. When that finally happened, Tony woke with a startled gasp of his name.

"I'm right here," Bruce said softly and squeezed Tony's hand.

Tony craned his neck on the pillow to look at him and breathed deeply a few times. When the relief washed over his features Tony followed it by bringing their joined hands up to his lips and brushing them against the back of Bruce's hand and squeezing his eyes shut.

Bruce turned on his side and smoothed his other hand across Tony's forehead and then down to cup his cheek. Tony opened his eyes again and for a moment they were just silent, relishing in the comfort of the other's presence.

"Don't leave," Tony whispered finally, voice tight with raw emotion, as he turned on his side as well and pressed their foreheads together. "Please, don't leave."

Bruce wasn't sure what Tony had been dreaming about to cause him to make that request, but at the moment Bruce was sure leaving wasn't even in the cards. Maybe it was his own raw vulnerability, but he whispered back, "I wasn't planning on it."

 

* * *

 

Wanda saw things that others sometimes missed. Perceptive was the word for it, but sometimes it felt like more. Maybe not psychic, but it did feel like a sixth sense. Maybe it was a deep intuition.

When someone was trustworthy, her gut usually told her. When someone was lying, her gut usually told her. When something was amiss, she was usually the first to recognize it. When someone needed to be confronted, she wasn't shy.

Most of the time. There _were_ times when things went beyond her sight at first, but before long her perception of the situation would win out.

She was still a kid so she wasn't perfect, but sometimes she felt older than her years or like she was living on a different plane. Sometimes she felt like she could hold easier conversation with JARVIS than with kids her own age. Sometimes she felt like she wouldn't even be as close as she was to Pietro if he wasn't her twin. Sometimes she felt like an outsider even if she forced her way in and refused to be treated as one.

But maybe it was being slightly different that allowed her to be more perceptive than the others and pick up on things first.

That's why she had to wonder if she was the only one who could see plainly that Dr. Banner was exhausted as of late. Well, maybe her dad knew because they were together, but Dr. Banner hid it well. He went to work and came home and made dinner and helped them when they needed help and smiled that gentle smile of his and still looked at her dad like he was the only man in the world. Wanda wasn't worried that Dr. Banner was exhausted with them, although it probably didn't alleviate the problem, but she was still worried for him.

"JARVIS, has Dr. Banner been sleeping well lately?" She asked the AI on a Saturday night. All week long he had seemed to be getting progressively more tired.

_Dr. Banner has been working late hours in the lab as well as waking early to do so as well._

She sighed. "Why do grown-ups do that?" She asked rhetorically.

 _Although I am aware your question was rhetorical_ , JARVIS stated knowingly, _my understanding of adult humans is that it is easy to get distracted by one's career. Your father has had similar incidents._

Wanda knew that was true and as those incidents always ended with her dad stressed and prone to overreact she didn't want that same thing to happen to Bruce if she could help it.

"I'm going to say something to him," she decided. "He needs to take care of himself."

_I am inclined to agree with that assessment. He is on his way to the lab now. I am certain if anyone can convince him it is you._

Wanda nodded. "Thank you, JARVIS," she said in genuine gratefulness. She waited until he finally passed her by, walking through the workshop towards the home lab. "You should rest," she said determinedly.

"Hmm?" He hummed in askance. He stopped and looked at her with a small crease of his brow. "I'm sorry, Wanda. I didn't hear what you said." He even sounded tired.

"You should rest," she repeated. "You're very tired."

Bruce sighed, but then gave a soft chuckle. He came over and sat down on a stool near her. "I _am_ very tired, yes," he confessed.

"So why don't you stop?" She suggested.

He smiled softly. "I'd like to, but that's just not the way it works I'm afraid. Work has to be done, deadlines have to be met, other things need to be done and taken care of. Cherish your childhood because it doesn't last long enough." His sentiment sounded hollow and he looked like he was far away for a moment.

Wanda considered his answer for a moment. "Or you could cherish your adulthood," she countered finally.

He blinked and sat back a little. He opened his mouth to respond, but then closed it again.

"I may be a kid, but aren't people always saying you never know what you've got until it's gone?"

"Yes," he said slowly, uncertainly.

She shrugged and fiddled with a few wires on a homework project she was working on.

"Okay, so doesn't that apply to adults? If you never take time to enjoy what you have because you're busy working or running in circles then will any of that matter when those things are gone?"

"That's… Huh. That's very insightful," Bruce said.

"Not really," she countered. "It's a universal message. You find it in many movies. Most people just don't think to apply it to themselves or, like you said, they just don't think that's how life works instead of realizing you have to make it work."

"How old are you?" He asked teasingly, but then gave a small sigh. "You're right. What I'm working on isn't as important as everything else. Now if only I could figure out how to make it work. Any advice there?" He seemed genuine in his request.

"You should rest," she repeated her original advice. "One of my science teachers has a poster on the wall. It says sometimes to solve a problem you have to look at it from a different angle." She paused and looked at him. "Maybe you keep working, working, working and that's why the problem isn't solving."

Bruce furrowed his brow slightly and then widened his eyes as if taking her words to heart. She appreciated that.

"What's up, my beautiful buttercups?" her dad suddenly chirped cheerfully, coming in from the hallway that connected to the garage. Pietro, Harley and Peter were with him and they were all four covered in oil. "Go get cleaned up for dinner," he shooed the three boys away and they all took off as if in a race to see who could get to their rooms first. Wanda watched them go with a roll of her eyes before turning back to her project.

"Wanda was just practicing on me," Bruce said. "She has an excellent future ahead of her as a life coach."

Tony smiled at her and came over to give her a hug around her shoulders. "Don't I know it," he stated and kissed her atop her head.

"Ew, dad, you're all oily and sweaty." She squirmed and he pulled away with a laugh, moving to stand in front of Bruce.

"Right, because you don't get oily and sweaty sometimes when you're working with the bots," he countered in a teasing tone.

"Not the point," she protested.

"For the record, I like oily and sweaty," Bruce said.

Wanda gave a disgusted grimace as she looked at the two men. Bruce was running his hands along her dad's bare and very sweaty arms. She liked that they were happy and flirty in theory, but she had her limits.

Tony leaned in and asked, "Want to help me get clean?"

She made a small gagging motion with her throat. "Ew."

"Yeah, ew," Bruce echoed and then gave her dad a small kiss.

Wanda rolled her eyes toward the ceiling, but then hazarded a small smile in spite of the over the top display.

"Or are you busy?" Tony then asked.

"Um…" Bruce gave her a quick glance. "You know, I was going to check on the simulations a little early, but honestly they won't likely be done until much later. I think I'll just leave them be."

"So then is that a yes to my previous question?"

"That's a yes," Bruce answered with a nod.

Wanda smiled again as her dad pulled Dr. Banner up from the stool by his hands and they left.

 

* * *

 

"Miss Scarlet. In the dining room. With…" Steve raised a disbelieving eyebrow and then shook his head. "With the lead pipe," he said with a sigh.

Wanda smiled widely, self-satisfied, as the others looked at her in disbelief. It was her third win in a row against Steve, Thor, Natasha, Loki and Jemma.

"How are you doing this?" Loki asked her.

"You solved it in two rounds," Thor said.

"See, we told you," Clint said and Sam nodded.

"We can't play this game with her ever," Skye added. "She _always_ wins."

Natasha eyed her skeptically. "JARVIS is watching this place 24/7, right?"

"For the most part," Skye answered, shrugging a shoulder.

"And she's obviously very tight with the AI," Natasha continued.

Wanda watched as her own siblings at the table, and Sam, raised their eyes in alarm.

"Maybe she's been communicating with JARVIS this whole time," Sam filled in the blanks.

"How would I do that?" She asked them condescendingly.

"Check her for bugs!" Clint declared, raising a finger in the air.

"Touch me and I'll tell dad you used the blind spot."

Clint shot her a dirty look. "You wouldn't dare."

"Yeah, that's cold," Skye admonished. The others looked at her in disbelief as well, excepting Jemma.

"Well, don't accuse me of cheating," she countered. "Because I'm not."

 _I must insist that Wanda has never sought my assistance in cheating_ , JARVIS added a defense of both their honor and Wanda smiled smugly.

"Fine." Clint folded his arms. "Why don't we play something else now?" They all followed his gaze to the stack of table top games they had pulled out.

"Can we play Candyland?" Jemma asked hopefully.

"Nobody wants to play Candyland," Natasha said to her matter-of-factly.

" _I do_ ," Jemma said in protest and left the table with a sad stomp of her feet.

Wanda watched her go and felt a small twinge in her stomach. Jemma had always seemed the shy one of the Banner children, the one least comfortable with the change most likely because of her age and the friend she always talked about that she had left. But Wanda had noticed that she seemed especially despondent over the past three or four weeks.

"We could have played one game with her," Wanda said, looking back at the others.

"She's fine," Loki insisted.

"How about we play Taboo," Clint suggested as if nothing had happened.

Wanda shook her head and stood to her feet.

"Where are you going?" Skye asked.

"I'm going to go play a game with Jemma," she answered, grabbing Candyland and leaving to find the girl. "JARVIS, where did Jemma go?" She asked the AI when she made it to the main hall.

_She is in her bedroom._

"Thank you." She walked toward Jemma's bedroom, but she stopped at the room Jane and Darcy shared. The two girls were laughing over a cat video. "Hey," she interrupted, "I'm going to play Candyland with Jemma. Want to join?" The two girls looked at her and then each other. "I think she needs some company," Wanda added and Jane looked concerned. "We can always stream the cat videos on her tv," she offered.

"Okay," Jane agreed.

Wanda went on ahead to Jemma's room and found her with tears in her eyes as she hugged Hulk. She looked up at her when she noticed her presence, eyes going straight to the game in confusion.

"Still want to play?" Wanda asked her. "Jane and Darcy want to play too. And watch cat videos on your tv while we play," she added.

"Really?" Jemma asked, sniveling.

"Of course," Wanda said with a smile.

She moved to the empty space on the floor and sat down. She began setting up the game and Jemma came over. Shortly after Jane and Darcy joined them and set up the stream of cat videos. Slowly Jemma seemed to calm down and she began to smile again.

"What's the blind spot?" Jemma asked at random halfway through the game.

Wanda shared a hesitant glance with Jane and Darcy.

"It's something our dads should know about," Jane said practically.

"I've been thinking about telling him," Wanda admitted. "I didn't think any of the others would actually exploit it. And I don't like the idea of JARVIS having a lapse in his programming," she added more sentimentally.

"The blind spot is JARVIS?" Jemma asked as she took her turn. "I thought JARVIS saw everything."

"He does. _He's_ not the blind spot," Wanda gently defended the AI. "But…" Wanda debated for a moment before leaning over and whispering into Jemma's ear what she meant.

Jemma's eyes lit up and she gasped in surprise.

"I think it's dangerous," Darcy said. "What if someone tried to use it to get in?"

"Well, that doesn't make sense," Wanda countered. "They would have to know about it which is impossible. And even if they did find out, as soon as they were in JARVIS would alert us."

"Doesn't mean it wouldn't be too late," Jane pointed out.

Wanda shivered and thought about her mom and what had almost happened to her dad. "Yeah, maybe I _should_ tell dad."

"But the others are going to be so mad," Darcy said.

"Hmm," Wanda toned thoughtfully. "Well, maybe I'll tell them I'm planning on telling him so they can have a warning. But I'm sure if we point out how dangerous it could be they'll see why it's better to fix it."

She looked over at Jemma as it was her turn, but the girl seemed to be lost in thought. Her small eyebrows were knitted together.

"Are you going to go?" She finally asked when Jemma didn't seem to snap out of it on her own.

"Oh. Sorry," Jemma apologized and took her turn.

Wanda studied her carefully and felt the lurch in her stomach that she got when something seemed amiss.

 

* * *

 

Tony popped open the cork of the dealcholized champagne and poured two flutes of it. He then moved to the couch in his office where Bruce already sat. He handed Bruce his drink and then sat down beside him.

"So, hero…" Tony looked at him with a small smirk. "The day has been saved. The project is officially ready to move out of R&D, ahead of schedule I might add. You've clearly earned whatever respect from your team you felt you needed to earn. How does it feel?"

Bruce looked down into his glass. "Honestly? Rewarding, but not rewarding enough. Actually, it feels a little bit like a relief until I think about how there's another dozen projects on the table."

"Are you regretting coming to work for me?" Tony asked with a playfully raised eyebrow.

Bruce shook his head. "Mm-mm. It's not that. I just…" Bruce looked at him. "I forgot what this kind of work was like. This level of intensity? I haven't had that in years. It was much slower paced in Culver's research labs." He sighed. "I forgot what I can turn into when a project takes over."

"You mean the obsession and workhorse thing? Yeah, hate to break it to you, but that's just a scientist thing. We've all been there, done that. Some worse than others." Tony tilted his head side to side.

"Yeah, but I don't want to let the job take over just because I get science tunnel vision," Bruce countered in a low voice. He sounded tired from weeks of dogged work on getting the project done. "I know for a fact I wouldn't have struck on the right angle that moved this forward if not for Wanda's advice to just chill out. When I cleared my mind and stopped worrying I saw what my brain was too jumbled to see before. I think I forgot that stepping away from the problem is part of the process. And one I've never been particularly good at."

Tony looked down at his own drink thoughtfully. He had to admit that Bruce had gotten a little caught up in the work, but like he said it happened and it could easily be attributed to being back doing what he was born to do in a state-of-the-art facility with other people who shared his passion and talent – or almost since Tony was biased regarding who he thought had more talent. Still, he wanted to support Bruce and he certainly didn't want him to always be caught up in work even if Tony knew how easy it could be to fall into that.

Tony raised his glass. "Then here's to the end of one project and to striking a balance on future ones."

Bruce smiled and raised his own glass. "I will most certainly drink to that," he said, bringing their glasses together in a familiar _clink_.

After he took a few sips, Tony set his flute down on the table in front of the couch. He then quickly gave his mouth something better to do as he attached his lips to the side of Bruce's neck, starting just at the juncture between ear and jaw.

"We should celebrate," he said as he sucked lightly at the spot, knowing it was one of Bruce's many erogenous zones. "We haven't been out on a real date in too long." He kissed lower and Bruce hummed in contented agreement. "I think you mentioned the symphony a few dates past. We could do that if you want. There are clothes for both of us up in the penthouse now so we could costume change."

"Sounds nice," Bruce said and spread his neck wantonly. He made a small noise in the back of his throat, one that always drove Tony on.

"And we'd have plenty of time between now and the start," Tony pointed out. He was pretty sure those things didn't start until a little later in the evening. "So we could just go to dinner or… hang out here," he said, biting down a little on Bruce's skin.

Bruce moaned in response. "It _is_ after hours," he said huskily.

That was all Tony really needed to hear in terms of encouragement. He quickly removed the flute still in Bruce's hand and joined it with the one on the table. Then his mouth was hungrily against Bruce's as he slowly pushed him down on the couch.

"Is the door locked?" Bruce asked, even as he devoured Tony's mouth right back.

"Mmm," Tony offered in an affirmative tone.

"You planned this?" Bruce pulled away with a raised eyebrow.

"Not specifically, no," Tony answered as he looked down at him lustfully. "But I've taken to making sure it's locked and cameras are off whenever we're alone in here after hours just in case." He smiled wide. "I'm a futurist."

Bruce's eyes darkened and he moved up just slightly to recapture Tony's lips. They kissed long and deep.

"Futurist, huh?" Bruce picked up the previous thread when they broke apart for air. "Well then I hope you plan on showing me the future you had in mind," he bantered.

Tony was besotted just at that and he moved his hands to the top button of Bruce's shirt. "Oh, believe me, I do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Jemma, though smart and precocious, is still only just turned seven and I wanted to showcase that. She's still a little girl who wants/needs attention and, given her emotional/social development in this story, is apt to not process emotional things thoroughly before reacting or jump to rash conclusions no matter how hard she might try/want to.


	21. Lost Girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first section of this chapter is repetitive for a reason. It's a stylistic choice. Sorry if it's annoying.

Jemma awoke with a small cry in the dark of her room. Hulk, who had been asleep at the end of the bed, immediately stirred and moved to lie partially on her chest instead. Jemma looked around the much too big room.

"JARVIS," she whispered.

_Yes, Jemma?_

"Can you turn on the night lights?" She asked. She didn't know if that was the term, but it always worked.

 _Of course,_ he answered and the room lit up in a soft glow.

"Thank you," she whispered.

_You are very welcome. Would you care for me to alert Dr. Banner or Mr. Stark of your nightmare?_

Jemma thought about it and then sighed. She wanted to say yes, but she was supposed to be a big girl now and crying for daddy in the middle of the night over a small nightmare wasn't what seven year olds were supposed to do.

"No," she answered. "Thank you anyway," she added.

It wasn't really the nightmare that had bothered her. It wasn't so bad and Hulk was there to keep her safe and comfort her. It was the fact that she was having lots and lots more nightmares than before and she didn't know why. And it was waking up to a big room by herself that she didn't like.

Jemma missed the comforting presence of her two older sisters. Even when they ignored her because they were busy being older and cooler than she was she still liked knowing they were there.

When she would wake up from a nightmare, or when she couldn't sleep as sometimes happened, it wasn't so bad because Natasha and Jane were right there – Natasha in the bed on the other side of the room and Jane in the bunk above her. She would listen to them breathing, and try not to giggle when they snored, while thinking over stories or things about science that she had read until she fell asleep.

And when they used to all go to schools that didn't start at nearly the same time Jemma liked to wake up early and listen to Natasha and Jane as they got ready. She liked that the house was small enough that she could stay in the quiet of her bed reading but still hear the arguing and laughter and comforting voice of her dad as they all got ready for the day before her and Peter.

Now Natasha got to have the big girl room she'd always wanted, all by herself. And Jane got to share with Darcy because she obviously liked Darcy better. That left Jemma to be alone in a room that was much too big for her. Now the house was big and the walls were what Tony had called soundproof and they all got up at the same time so she couldn't read.

But she did like breakfast and the ride to school. After a night by herself in a room that was much too big she liked being able to be with everyone and hearing the arguing and laughter and comforting voice of her dad. Tony's voice was comforting too now.

Jemma just wished someone would have asked her if she wanted a big girl's room by herself. Instead her dad and Tony had mentioned a few people needing to share because there weren't enough rooms. Before she could speak up Jane and Darcy had said they would – she didn't care about Peter and Harley sharing – and her dad and Tony seemed satisfied. That was that and nobody else would be sharing. Nobody offered to share with her anyway so they probably didn't have room for her in their rooms.

Jemma started petting Hulk with one hand and she squeezed the bear Leo had made her with her other arm. She was very confused and sad.

She loved her new house with Tony and the others even when there didn't seem to be room for her. She wanted to be there even when it felt like nobody wanted her there. She had even told the police that she loved her family and she had meant that she loved Tony's family too even if they didn't love her. She even kind of liked her new school and her new friend Antoine and things weren't always bad.

But she still missed Leo. She still missed their old house. She still missed Aunt Betty and Uncle Leonard. Her dad hadn't read to her much lately because he was always so busy now with work and taking care of them all or being tired; she tried to understand of course, sometimes daddies were busy, but it still hurt and sometimes it felt like she was forgotten about.

She was very confused because she wanted to stay, but the room was much too big and there wasn't room for her anywhere else. She was very confused because she knew it was wrong and dangerous to want to run away, but the room was much too big and there wasn't room for her anywhere else.

She was sad because she knew she would miss her dad and brothers and sisters and Tony and the others, but they might not miss her because there were plenty of them there to not notice her. She was sad because she knew she would miss Hulk and she would miss JARVIS and she would miss the cats and the horses and the fishes and the movies and the games and even maybe Harley's rat, but only Hulk would miss her.

She was very confused and sad because she knew that this was the only way. The room was much too big and there wasn't room for her anywhere else so she would go back to a place where rooms were small and had just the right amount of room for her.

 

* * *

 

Tony looked down with a small laugh at the small dog yapping and circling at his feet as he came into the house along with some of the kids he'd taken to the beach. It wasn't overly warm, being near the end of October, but some of the kids had wanted to get in a little more surf before the weather became too cold.

"Well, I'm happy to see you too, Hulk," Tony said crouching down and attempting to pet the excited dog. However, Hulk was avoiding his hand in favor of continuing to bark before then rushing over to the door back and forth in a frantic pattern. "That's weird," he said with a furrow of his brow.

"What's wrong, Hulk? Do you need to go outside?" Peter took over trying to calm the dog down.

"Oh, good, you're back," Bruce said coming into the atrium. "Now maybe Hulk can calm down," he said and Tony looked back at the dog squirming in Peter's arms strangely. "I figured it must be a little separation anxiety. Him and Jemma are practically inseparable."

Tony turned his head back sharply. "What are you talking about?"

"Jemma…" Suddenly Bruce's eyes widened and he looked around at the other kids. Some of them had started to walk away to other parts of the house, but had stopped suddenly at the mention of the girl. "Where's Jemma?"

"She's not with me," Tony said, feeling his heart quicken. " _Bruce_? Why do you think she's with me?"

"Tony, she said she was going with you to the beach!" Bruce said, voice pitching higher and higher in panic that matched his own. "What are you saying she's not with you!?"

"JARVIS!" Tony shouted, rubbing his suddenly clammy fingers against his palms. "Is she in the house? On the property? And tell all the other kids to get here now!"

"I'll go check her room," Thor said and hurried off in that direction.

"I'll help," Steve said and ran after him.

The rest of the kids that had stayed with Bruce at home came rushing in, skidding to stops and looking at one another in distress.

_Sir, Jemma is not in the house or on the premise. The last record I have is of her telling Dr. Banner that she had decided to go with you to the beach. She then shortly after exited the house with her beach bag. She is no longer on camera after that._

"Bruce, I swear she never came to me and she didn't come out to the SUV," Tony said as calmly as he could manage. He looked at the kids that had gone with him. "Did any of you see her or know about this?"

"No," Skye said. "When I passed her room, she was still in there."

"JARVIS, talk to me. How the hell did she get pass your notice? I'm not happy here!" Tony practically growled at the AI.

 _I… I do not know, sir._ JARVIS sounded truly distressed. _I must be malfunctioning._

"Dad," Wanda suddenly spoke up, "she knows about the blind spot."

"The what?" Bruce asked with barely restrained heat in his voice as he looked at Tony.

Tony didn't know what Wanda meant either and looked at his daughter expectantly. "It's a lapse in JARVIS' programming," she explained. "Skye and I noticed it earlier this year while looking at his coding. The camera on the south exit of the house, if you time it just right you can get away from his line of vision."

Tony felt his mouth go dry. Years of paranoia and attempting to create an impenetrable AI and safe home suddenly felt wasted and a thousand horrible scenarios that could have happened had anyone exploited it sooner flashed through his mind, causing him to feel a little dizzy.

He looked at all of his kids and Sam in anger and horror.

"And you all knew about this?" The looks on their faces were an admission of guilt. Not only his kids, but Bruce's kids seemed to share that guilt. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, partly attempting to will away the dizziness. " _And you told a little girl_?!"

He opened his eyes to see Bruce was pacing frantically, shaking his head and clenching and unclenching his fists.

"She's only 7," Wanda protested. "I didn't think she would want to use it. She just seemed curious about what it was when we mentioned it. And I was finally going to tell you. I didn't know this would happen before then."

"No, no that is _not_ an excuse! None of that is an excuse! You are all in so much trouble!" He stared them all down, not caring if it wasn't his call to say so to those of Bruce's kids that were standing there. He didn't have to be a genius to know Bruce shared that sentiment and just wasn't in a state to speak it.

"Dad," Steve returned then, "Her doll and bear are gone and we found this."

Tony hurried to read the small scrap of paper over Bruce's shoulder. The note was short and bitter.

_Dear Daddy,_

_I'm sorry. Don't be mad. I'm going to go somewhere that has room for me. I still love you. Please don't hate me._

_Love,_

_Jemma_

"She's maybe been planning this, Bruce," Tony said. Bruce spun quickly and looked at him angrily. It would be more intimidating if he wasn't already too frightened over Jemma being missing. "She waited for an opportunity. And she… She took stuff with her! JARVIS, track her phone!"

And when everything was okay again, as he prayed it would be, JARVIS was getting a serious upgrade to track the phones at all times and signal him when something seemed amiss in addition to having the AI alert him to lapses in his own programming. He cursed himself that this could happen on his watch in the first place. He wasn't a genius. He was a fucking idiot!

"You don't know she took it!" Bruce shouted. "She said there wasn't room for her. This is… This is all my fault. This is all my fault for letting you talk me into this! What were we thinking? What was _I_ thinking? Tony, we can't take care of thirteen kids! _We just can't!_ " Bruce was directly in his face and there was cold fear in his eyes. "I swear if anything happens to her… I don't… No, no… You… You need to get away from me." He looked like he was torn between lunging for his throat and caving in on himself. "No matter how much I hate you right now I don't want to hurt you."

"Dad…" Thor said gently, but Tony could tell Bruce was already too far gone with a flight or fight response.

"No, I will not," Tony refused and, perhaps foolishly, squared his shoulders and ignored the way the world began to close in around him.

"What?" Bruce looked at him like he'd been slapped.

"You're angry. I get it. You hate me. Whatever. You want to beat me into a bloody pulp, go for it." Bruce's eyes seemed to begin to soften as if coming back to his senses at the unexpected offer. "But neither of us are in any state to find Jemma on our own and if she… If she—"

Suddenly Tony's vision tunneled and he stumbled backward as the room felt like it was spinning. He began breathing in and out heavily as pain shot up his arm.

"Tony?" Bruce sounded far away, but he sounded concerned and he felt himself being helped back to the couch by two sets of hands. "Tony!?"

_Sirs, Jemma's phone has been traced to the local transit station._

"JARVIS, contact 911! Something's wrong with Tony!" Bruce exclaimed.

All of their voices seemed to be getting further and further, but he had heard what he needed. Tony gritted his teeth and looked at Bruce's blurry face. "Go find Jemma," he forced out through what felt like water filling his lungs and stealing his breath.

Bruce backed away at that suddenly, nodding desperately. "Some of you come with me and help me find your sister and the rest of you stay here with your dad and make sure he's safe until the EMTs get here."

The last thing Tony registered was the sound of crying from at least one kid and Steve and Sam both urging him to stay with them.

 

* * *

 

"Yes, Dr. Banner, she seems fine."

Jemma sat in silence on a bench as Sig used her phone to speak with her dad.

"She's just very tired and a little chilled. I don't think she realized what running away entails," Sig said, glancing at her with a small smile. "Or anticipated how far the transit is from your house." She paused. "It's really not a problem. I'm just glad I was here at the same time she got here. I almost didn't go to my family's stables today." Sig paused again. "Honestly, I think she wouldn't have tried. She was already missing you. She let me call you, no problem. Alright, I'll keep an eye on her until you get here."

Sig ended the call and handed her the phone back. Jemma didn't want to take it so Sig placed it in her bag. Jemma didn't want to do anything except cry. She had made a mistake in running away and she was glad Sig was there, but she was afraid what her family might think now. If they hadn't wanted her before...

Jemma couldn't stand it and burst into tears.

"You're going to be okay. Your dad's on the way."

"I'm sorry I ran away. I thought it was the only way."

Sig wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I'm sorry you felt that way, Jemma," she said kindly. "Is everything okay? Do you not like your family? You know you can tell someone."

Jemma gasped and looked up at her. "I _love_ my family. And I know daddy loves me, but…" She hung her head and cried some more.

"Jemma, I'm sure your whole family loves you. Your dad wouldn't be coming to find you if they didn't want you."

"Everything's different," Jemma tried to explain through the sobs that made her chest rise and fall painfully. "Daddy is busy. And there's so many other people for my brothers and sisters to play with. They don't need me. I didn't want to run away, but there wasn't any room for me. I don't fit in. And I want my old friend back. And I want my old room back. And I want daddy to read to me sometimes and t-to…" She gasped again. "And to drink tea on the porch while I play with Hulk and…" She couldn't get any more words out. Sig hugged her tightly as she cried.

"Change is very hard," Sig said. "But lying and running away isn't the answer. Believe me, I've tried it before. Does your dad know all of these things you just told me?" Jemma looked up at her curiously. "Because daddies can't always read minds even though they probably wish they could."

Jemma furrowed her brow and then shook her head. "I never told him."

Sig smiled at her. "What would you tell your dad or your brothers and sisters if they were with you right now?"

"I love them," Jemma answered because she decided that was most important. "I love all of them. And I don't like sleeping in a room by myself. And I just want to play what I want to play sometimes. And… And sometimes I just want it to be me and daddy and sometimes I want it to be me, daddy and Tony." She paused. "Maybe sometimes just me and Tony because he's funny and nice too and he reads stories differently even if daddy reads them better," she said, sniveling here and there around some of the words which made it difficult to speak. "But mostly I love them."

"Oh god, Jemma, sweetheart, I'm so sorry."

Jemma's eyes widened and she turned to see her dad standing there with some of her brothers and sisters and some of Tony's kids. Her dad flung out his arms and knelt down. She flew off the bench to hug him.

"I'm sorry, daddy," she cried.

"No, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." He kissed her head over and over. "I should have realized. I thought… Oh god, Jemma. I thought you were gone. I thought I'd never see you again. I love you so much, Jemma. I never want to lose you. Please don't do this again."

"I won't," she promised. "I'm so tired and I thought I'd never see you again. I thought you wouldn't want me anymore because I ran away," she sobbed into his chest.

"Not possible," he told her. "I love you too much to ever want you to leave. Where were you going to go?"

"Aunt Betty's," she answered guiltily. "But I don't want to live with Aunt Betty."

"I know, sweetheart. I know. I don't want you to live with Aunt Betty either," he said and kissed her again.

"We were so scared, Jemma," Harley suddenly said.

Jemma blinked, eyes stinging with the tears as she did, and pulled away to look at them.

"If anything had happened I would have blamed myself," Wanda said sadly.

"You're such a foolish little girl if you think we don't love you," Loki said, taking her by surprise as he rarely said he cared.

"But maybe we should have tried harder to make that clearer," Natasha said. "At least your own brothers and sisters," she added.

"But we care about you too," Wanda said and Harley, Pietro and Clint nodded.

"I'm sorry," she apologized and they suddenly enveloped her in a hug as her dad stood to his feet.

"Thank you so much again, Sig. I hate to think about her walking all the way here by herself, but I'm very grateful you were here and stopped to help her." Suddenly his phone rang. "Skye? Please tell me—"

Bruce gasped and there was a long pause. Startled, Jemma looked at the others to see they were obviously scared of something.

"Okay, Skye. Just calm down. Yes, yes, we have Jemma. She's fine. Yes, tell the others. Did anyone go with him? Okay, grab some stuff and we'll be right there. Can you call Pepper and Happy? Let them know since your father mentioned they're next of kin. Okay."

Bruce ended the call and Jemma startled again as there was a burst of "Is he okay!?" from the others around her.

"Your dad became unconscious after we left. The ambulance is taking him to the hospital. That's all I know and we need to leave now. I'm sorry for rushing out and leaving you here, Sig. Are you okay?" He turned to the girl.

"Yes, of course," Sig said with worry in her voice. "Just go find out if Mr. Stark is. I hope everything is fine. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. We owe you so much."

"You have our gratitude," Loki added as he took her small hand into his.

Jemma didn't ask questions as Natasha took her bag and Loki led her along just behind their dad. She didn't know why, but she knew that Tony was in the hospital and that scared her. She was maybe just as scared as when she wasn't sure she'd ever see her dad again. She didn't want anything to happen to Tony.

 

* * *

 

It was a little after eight in the morning and the hospital waiting room was mostly taken over by the large group of Starks and Banners. Tony was okay, but the doctor didn't want him to have any visitors until visiting hours started again. Bruce alone - with the exception of Pepper and Happy - had been allowed back there during the previous evening's visiting hours and only after they had stabilized Tony. It had turned out to be an extreme PTSD attack that had elevated his blood pressure dangerously. Of course, Tony had been out of it still so Bruce hadn't gotten to speak with him the night before.

Bruce had asked the kids if they wanted to go home and come back in the morning, but unsurprisingly they wanted to be near him. While the kids were sprawled out in the various chairs and on the floor, some asleep and some just keeping themselves entertained by their phones, Starkpads and conversation, he sat in a chair holding Jemma close as she slept. Once she was assured that Tony was okay and all of the kids were checked for any immediately concerning symptoms of anxiety she had passed out from her exhausting and traumatizing day.

Bruce wished he could sleep, but instead he had spent the whole night long lost in his thoughts. He had replayed the events over and over in his head. Jemma's words at the transit station were on loop in his mind. His own actions against Tony, how close he had been to losing his temper because of his fight or flight response, were a painful memory. The millions of scenarios that had played through his head on the way to the transit station before Sig called him, scenarios where she didn't even make it to the transit station along with scenarios of her having been taken once there, played through his head again and were joined by thoughts of 'what if it had been _any_ of them?' – he thought of the blind spot the kids had mentioned and felt his mind fall apart the same way Tony's clearly had over the thought of worst things that could have happened.

The fear of almost having lost Jemma and the fear of not knowing if Tony would be okay had plagued him as well.

He wasn't even sure if he deserved to have found Jemma safe and sound and sorry for her actions because he had obviously failed her somewhere as a father. It wasn't Tony's fault. It wasn't even having all of the kids between them. It was that ugly side of him that sometimes came out when he got caught up in science, the part that didn't pay attention to warning signs or didn't think things through. He should have noticed sooner – he vaguely recalled Tony telling him something seemed wrong when he was sick and there were probably other signs he'd missed – and he should have heeded Tony's assurance that the deadline was tentative. Instead, he'd been too busy trying to prove himself again even when he was finally in a position where Tony told him constantly that he had nothing to prove because he was brilliant and wanted. Trying to prove himself could have cost him dearly.  

And he most certainly wasn't sure if he deserved Tony now after this. What if it had been Harley, he had asked himself. What if he had lost one of Tony's kids because of his tunnel vision? And what if he had hurt Tony? He had already all but blamed Tony for the situation which was hardly fair. And given Tony's attack he could only imagine Tony had also felt responsible since it was his house and AI that had seemingly failed.

Bruce wasn't sure of much of anything save that he was going to fight to prove to Jemma that he loved her and that he _had_ to fight to fix what he had maybe broken between himself and Tony. He maybe didn't deserve the right to keep what he wanted, but he didn't want to lose Tony. God, if anything this had proven how much he didn't want to lose him.

"You look like you need this." Pepper's words broke through his thoughts before they could cycle once more through all the angles, creating new tangent points each time. Bruce focused his eyes to see her sitting on the edge of the chair beside him and holding a vending machine coffee in her hand. "Not Starbucks, but it'll get the job done," she said with a small attempt at humor.

He smiled softly and took the proffered coffee. "Thank you."

"If you're wondering where Happy and I ducked off to…" If he were being honest, he hadn't even really noticed because he'd been so lost in his own mind. The only times he'd come back to was in order to check on the kids. "…damage control."

Bruce furrowed his brow. "Damage control?"

"Yeah," she said with a sigh. "No matter how hard we try to contain them these things always get out. Press got a hold of the fact that Tony was admitted and so they've been hounding outside. Happy's been working with security and I've been on the phone with PR. I'm actually going to take off in a little bit to give the press an official statement."

Bruce sighed. "How hard is it to respect people's privacy?"

She shrugged empathetically. "I want you to be the first to know that we have enough reassurance from the doctor that his blood pressure has very likely been high from undue stress for a while. The PTSD attack was just too much on top of it. So we're not going to mention the PTSD if we can help it and the official spin will include that it's possible Tony has been under great duress since General Ross' threats against his children."

Bruce raised an eyebrow. "A bit dirty."

"But not entirely unlikely," she countered. "Tony will have to confirm it of course and it'll be spun as only one of many possible factors to avoid false statements. Factors such as being the CEO of a fortune 500 company. But Ross being a factor is very possible."

"That's true. It did stress him out," Bruce conceded. "And he's been keeping a close eye on the legal proceedings against Ross."

"Precisely. Also," Pepper looked at his daughter, "it's best if we keep it at that. We don't want it to be linked to Jemma's running away or any other domestic crisis not caused by outside sources."

" _That's_ not true," Bruce said with a rueful sigh.

"No, but these things happen to parents who love their children every single day. It's your business to handle without the media wolves baying for blood."

"Thank you," Bruce said genuinely.

There was silence for a moment and then a very soft, "I'm sorry." Bruce looked down as Jemma opened her eyes. "This is all my fault. I never wanted Tony to get hurt."

"I know. And I forgive you for running away," Bruce said as Pepper squeezed Jemma's knee. "Do you forgive me for not trying harder to make you happy?"

"Of course I do," she said as if confused by the question.

"I know it's been overwhelming. It's been overwhelming for me too in different ways." He repositioned her so that he could look into her face very seriously. "But I'm supposed to take care of you. I love you and being your father should always be my number one priority. So from now on, promise me you'll come to me when you have a problem okay? No matter how small or silly you think it is. And if I'm too tired – because, Jemma, sometimes I will be – that doesn't mean I don't love you. Come back to me again when I'm not tired or go to one of your brothers and sisters. We're a family okay? Promise me you'll do that from now on?"

"I promise," she said very seriously.

"Now I have to ask you a very important question." Bruce kept his gaze on her to let her know he meant it. "If you have a problem with living with Tony and his kids then I need you to be honest with me. We can find a place somewhere else, maybe a little closer to your school. Do you want to move into our own place?"

Jemma's small face scrunched up tightly and she shook her head.

"It's okay if you do, I promise," Bruce pressed.

"No, I don't _want_ to move," she said determinedly. "I just… I want it to be like it used to be sometimes. But I want it to be like it is now too." She sounded torn and Bruce understood. She didn't know how to balance her conflicting emotions and needed support. He hadn't supported her enough in the transition and he would have to remedy that.

"Okay, sweetheart. Will figure this out. I promise," Bruce said. Of course, he would have to figure out where he stood with Tony before he made any promises that they would stay.

"Hey, dad," Peter called and Bruce turned his head in the direction of his voice. "I'm really hungry."

There was a round of agreement from all fourteen kids who were now all wide awake.

Pepper gave a soft laugh. "I think the cafeteria is open and serving breakfast." She looked down at her phone, waking the screen to see the time. "Tell you what. Since you'll want to see Tony as soon as visiting hours start up and I'll be leaving in a little bit anyhow, I'll take the kids to the cafeteria. I'll just give Happy a quick text to let him know."

"You sure?"

"Of course," she insisted. "I may not want this many kids, but Aunt Pepper still thinks they're pretty great. It'll be fun." She stood and held out her hand and Jemma took it, hopping off of Bruce's lap.

Bruce quickly pulled out a couple of hundred dollar bills for her to take, although he hoped it wouldn't cost that much. She looked at him like she was about to protest and mention company credit card or some other nonsense. He wanted to pay for his and Tony's children's breakfast after everything that had happened. He maybe even needed that kind of grounding to remind him that he could still be a normal parent, or in this case co-parent of sorts.

"I insist. Tony always pays for everything. I can more than afford it now too. Just send the change back with Steve."

"Alright," she conceded.

Not fifteen minutes later, a nurse came to let Bruce know that Tony was awake and able to receive visitors along with the condition that when the kids returned, it would have to be no more than two or three at a time. Bruce thanked the nurse and quickly followed to Tony's room.

"You have your first visitor," the nurse said to Tony, knocking softly on the door and then leaving them.

Bruce went into the room and over to the side of the bed. Tony gave him a soft, relieved smile. Bruce pulled over a chair then and sat down as close to him as he could manage, which was pretty close.

"I'm assuming if you're here—"

"She's safe," Bruce said quickly.

"Thank God." He exhaled deeply.

"Jemma had only just reached the transit station when JARVIS alerted us. On my way there Sig called me. She'd been on her way home from her family's stables and saw Jemma. She took care of her until I got there. And even helped talk her through what was going on with her."

"She's so getting a reward of some kind. I'll even play the piano for her if Clint decides he can't do it," Tony said determinedly. Bruce nodded in agreement. "But other than that she's okay?"

"Well, she was pretty exhausted and realized running away wasn't really the best solution. And…" Bruce sighed. "She was going through a lot emotionally, Tony. I'm going to have to make some changes."

"You were right, Bruce," Tony said and he looked up at the ceiling as if he hated to admit it. "I should never have suggested this arrangement. Maybe I should have left well enough alone from the beginning. The last thing I want is for a repeat of that. So, if you want to leave—"

"I don't want that, Tony," Bruce protested quickly and grabbed Tony's hand with his own. Tony looked at him as if shocked. "I love you." He knew it wasn't enough of an explanation, but he needed to say it.

Tony blinked. "Really because I got the impression you hated me. And I didn't blame you. Still wouldn't."

Bruce squeezed his eyes shut and sighed. "I'm sorry. I was just… This is what I've been trying to tell you. Sometimes I get angry. I say and do things I shouldn't. I even believe them in that moment. And I was so afraid of this happening, of getting close to hurting you… So I understand if it's you who wants me to leave after that." He paused and then opened his tear-brimmed eyes to meet Tony's gaze.

"But…" He continued, "The entire way to the transit station the only thing running through my mind was my fear that I was going to lose both of you at once. If I had lost Jemma my world would have fallen apart and it wouldn't have mattered, but after I found her I realized that had it been any of your kids I would have been just as relieved, and just as afraid as you were for Jemma. And the entire way here I was so scared that I had found Jemma just to lose you instead. Maybe it's selfish of me, but I didn't like either prospect." Bruce wasn't even sure he was being coherent anymore at this point he was so overwhelmed with emotion. He closed his eyes and shook his head sorrowfully. "I love you, Tony. And I love your kids."

Bruce felt Tony squeeze his hand and he looked back at the billionaire. "Other than Jemma being okay, that's one of the best things I've ever heard," Tony said in a sober tone. "Because I love you and I hope yesterday proves that I love your kids. I think it maybe even proved it to me how much. The thought of any of your kids…" His sentence trailed and his eyes darkened.

"No, no," Bruce gently shushed him when the heart monitor quickened. "I know. You don't have to relive it or think about it. Jemma triggered your PTSD," he told him. "That’s proof enough and we can leave it at that."

"Can we?" Tony asked, looking at him then.

"I think we can," Bruce said with a nod. "I'm not saying we'll forget this anytime soon and… I feel so bad for not noticing anything was wrong. I've just been so busy lately. The move, the settling in, the new school year, getting sick, getting back into the kind of job I have now, the project, the obsession and… It's not an excuse," he finished with a sigh. "None of it is."

"So are you sure we can handle this?" Tony asked him earnestly.

"No," Bruce answered with a shake of his head. "I'm not sure of anything except that I need to try harder and I need _you_. I've been thinking about something you said." He paused. "You said that neither of us was in any state to handle it on our own when we didn't know where Jemma was. She's been dealing with this since the move apparently. I knew she was upset, buy not to this extent. Had my schedule changed in our own home on top of everything she still might have tried this. I still might not have noticed before it was too late. But I wouldn't have had you. I blamed you for talking me into this arrangement, but you also talked me into giving her a phone," he pointed out. "That could have made all the difference in the world. Just like JARVIS in spite of the anomaly. On my own I might not have found her, Tony."

Bruce shook his head and then buried it against Tony's hand as fresh emotion overwhelmed him. Tony was quiet for several moments. He moved his other hand to stroke at Bruce's hair.

When the other man finally did speak he said, "I've been thinking about something you said too. When you called Jemma the kids' sister and me their dad, you were talking to them collectively weren't you?"

Bruce raised his head and blinked away his tears, although the hand that had been in his hair thumbed away some of them. "Yeah, I was. I wasn't thinking. I just…" He shrugged, unable to explain.

"I'm not complaining," Tony reassured him. "It sounded right. You know, not that— Not that I'm trying to freak you out or rush things any further. Clearly we still have some learning curves to tackle, but…" Tony shrugged. "I'm just saying it sounded like something I wouldn't mind eventually." Bruce smiled softly in understanding. "But even if we decide we don't need that, I _do_ need _you_. For as long as you'll have me which I hope is from here on out. So let's tackle the learning curves together, yeah?"

Bruce's smile widened and he nodded. "Yeah."

After a few more quiet moments, Bruce stood to his feet. "Ready to see some of the kids?" He asked. "Only two or three at a time. House rules."

"I'm fine. The doctors should just release me," Tony grumbled minutely.

"Your blood pressure was through the roof, Tony," Bruce reminded him, sure he'd probably already been made aware of the situation. "You're very lucky it wasn't your heart. The doctors want to monitor you and we also maybe need to talk about your stress levels in general," he said in concern. "Because you're not going to scare me like this again."

"Bossy," Tony teased with a small chuckle.

"More like determined to keep you around," Bruce replied more sentimentally. "So kids?"

"Yes, but first if you don't kiss me I'm going to have to take desperate measures," Tony answered in a tone that managed to be playful and serious at the same time.

"Please don't," Bruce said with a laugh before leaning in until their lips were almost touching but not quite. "I've already been through enough. And there's really no need for desperate measures anyway," he said teasingly before kissing Tony as tenderly as he could manage, because a small part of him had worried he might never get the chance again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Kudos to [leobutler](http://archiveofourown.org/users/leobutler/pseuds/leobutler) for guessing my plot device with the blind spot. I honestly hadn't seen the first _Cheaper By The Dozen_ in ages and had forgotten the details. Then my roommate and I watched if after I finished this story... And all I could think was 'oh great thanks subconscious well I'm not changing it all now.' So if it feels ripped off from that, I swear it was a subconscious thing that happened.  
>  2\. When the idea came to me I was thinking of her drastically running away being like how she drastically jumped out of the plane and Coulson's speech about hating to lose her.  
> 3\. And then her struggle was more consciously inspired by _Inside Out_ what with Jemma dealing with her conflicting emotions of what she wants and how she feels and how hard processing all of that can be for a kid - even a smart one.  
>  4\. Fun fact: Bruce almost decided to pack up and leave after all this like he would likely do in regular verse and then it was going to extend a few more chapters with Tony and/or the kids trying to convince him not to give up but I decided Bruce in this verse already cares so deeply for Tony and his kids and has already gotten past most of his demons so he'd be more likely to see how much he would stand to lose.


	22. Some Assembly Required

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's nauseating fluff with a side of cheesy dialogue from here on out as this story wraps up. I mean in this chapter even I was like 'oh jeez self you've outdone yourself with how hokey some of this is' but kept the dialogue regardless. So you've been warned.

" _Bruce_. Seriously, babe, I'm fine," Tony said with a chuckle as Bruce insisted he lean on him as they walked into the house.

Pepper laughed softly as she and Happy trailed behind the kids. Bruce continued to fret and tell him he was still under orders to take it easy. And he practically forced him into the large armchair that sat in the front lounge, taking a perch along the arm of it.

"Have a seat," Bruce said, motioning to all of the kids.

They all immediately headed for the assembly couch, though some sat on the floor so to allow Pepper and Happy to sit on one end.

"Alright, so things obviously can't stay the same around here," Tony began ominously.

Pepper tilted her head in the men's direction, admittedly unsettled by the uncertainty that implication held. She looked at the kids to see them looking at each other in what could only be described as panic.

"You can't break up!" Jane was the first to cry.

"This is on all of us," Thor said more calmly. "We should have been more helpful."

"We should have paid closer attention," Wanda said with a shake of her head.

"You still care about each other right?" Skye asked.

"Do we have to move?" Peter asked next.

Other protests and questions were fired at them not unlike the day Tony had returned home and announced he'd met someone. Pepper couldn't help but be slightly amused and she looked back at the two men. One glance at them told her they were surprised by the response. It also told her that they clearly hadn't been planning on breaking up.

Bruce held up a calm hand and his own kids went quiet first and then Tony's followed suit. Pepper was mildly impressed and if she'd had any lingering doubts that Bruce was the right person for both Tony and his family, they were put to rest with that one subtle display of how much they'd come to respect him.

"As Tony said, things obviously can't stay the same around here," Bruce started. "For one thing, I have to draw a line between work and home. I can't let myself get so caught up in a project that I lose sight of what I have around here. You are _all_ more important to me than my job. But sometimes work does get a little crazy. I can't promise that a crazy workload or time crunch won't ever be a thing or that I won't need a friendly shove to remind me not to let it take over," he said and gave a small smile in Wanda's direction. "But I can promise to take those friendly shoves to heart from now on."

"Another thing that needs to change is one-on-one time," Tony stated next. "We're still transitioning into this super family and there are way more of you than there are of us. First of all, we're going to need you to help us out on this one. We can't always tell when you need us. You older ones should know this by now, but if you need one-on-one time with either of us or time with both of us without the others, let us know."

"Just because there's a baker's dozen here and an awesome kid to spare," Bruce added, looking at Sam with a nod, "doesn't make you a package deal. You're all individuals and if things start to get a little crowded and you need space and attention, we understand. Your dad and I were only children so it's something we took for granted. You'll need to work with us a little."

Tony nodded. "Additionally, from now on we're going to try harder to make sure we make time for you ourselves, that is, before you have to come to us. Just letting you know now so there's no jealousy thing. If one or both of us take just one or two of you out to dinner with us, then the others will get a chance too. We'll try to do things that you like to do and you get to call the shots for that day."

"So like dad dates?" Clint asked dubiously.

"Uh, yeah," Tony answered. "But without the creepy connotation. We just want to spend time with each of you and get to know you because you're our kids. That's going to take a little more effort now that there are more of you to get to know. But it's worth it." Tony looked down for a moment. "I never want you to think we don't care. Ever."

There was silence for a moment and Pepper felt herself beginning to get slightly emotional.

"Another thing, we need you to come to us when there's a problem or just something you want to point out to us. Like I told Jemma, it doesn't matter if it's small or silly. We're your dads. That's what we're here for." Bruce paused and looked around at the kids. "For example, Jemma has been upset about not being able to share a room like she used to. That was too big of a transition for her. She wasn't ready. Your dad and I messed up not seeing that sooner and she made the mistake of not coming to us. We don't want repeats of that sort of thing."

"Or like when I didn't tell dad about the bullying?" Harley ventured.

Bruce smiled, clearly pleased. "Yes, exactly like that."

There was silence again and Pepper looked around at the group of kids. She looked down at Jemma who sat beside her and squeezed one of the little girl's hands.

"Jemma can share my room until she's ready for her own," Wanda spoke up. "I really don't mind if she doesn't mind."

"I don't mind!" Jemma said cheerfully and Pepper saw the grateful look Tony and Bruce gave Wanda.

"Thank you, Wanda," Bruce said.

"That reminds me," Pepper heard Tony mumble to Bruce and Bruce nodded. "Now that we've told you a few of the changes you can expect around here," Tony started and then gave them all a sharp glance, "there's a very big change coming to JARVIS. And, yes, you are all very much still in trouble excepting Jemma."

When Pepper had asked how Jemma had managed to escape without JARVIS notifying them, Bruce had informed her. So she knew exactly what Tony was referring to and didn't blame them for punishing the kids. She understood rebellion, but she also understood that the world was a dangerous place and Tony had seen it firsthand. She understood why he would want to do anything to keep that sort of thing from happening again to the best of his ability.

"Look, I'm not trying to be unreasonable here," Tony continued. "But as much as I want to be your friend, I'm your father first. And I want you to be safe. This isn't a prison, but I do want it to be a secure home. Am I still a little paranoid? Yes. If you think I'm being unfair about something, come to me. We can maybe work out a compromise as long as you're still safe. But knowingly keeping something of that nature from me for the purpose of being able to exploit it crosses a line regardless of paranoia. How can you expect me to trust you and give you a little more freedom if you do things like this? Is that understood?"

Pepper raised her own brow as she looked at the kids to see their guilty nods. She had to admit she was a little disappointed in them.

"Good," Bruce piggybacked on that. "We will be working out your punishments as soon as we fix JARVIS' problem. And don't think we can't go into that specific camera's archived footage and put together circumstantial evidence of anyone who might have exploited it already besides Jemma," he warned and Pepper pursed her lips quickly at the threat. Already a few of the kids looked around at each other in obvious panic. "We'll leave the topic to further discussion at a later time, but an admission of guilt will be more favorable for those who might have done so."

"So, I think that covers most of the basics. There's maybe a few more things, but for now do you have any questions? Concerns?" Tony opened the floor.

"You called us your kids," Harley said.

Pepper blinked and looked at the two men, who looked at each other in confusion. "He has a point, Tony. You did refer to them collectively as yours and Dr. Banner's kids." She knew they could have easily meant it as 'we're both fathers to some of you' but she had to smile at how it sounded.

The two men's confusion changed to a soft smile shared between them.

"That's because there's another change that's going to happen around here and we should probably get it out of the way now," Tony said vaguely. He then looked at Bruce lovingly. "Bruce and I have decided that even if we're still only in the dating stage, we're both interested in this being a long term relationship." He then looked at the kids again. "So the blended family, co-parent thing… You all can expect that a lot more than before." He paused as the kids looked around at one another.

Then he continued. "Steve, Thor, Loki, Natasha, Jane, Peter, Jemma… You are all wonderful children. I'm already deeply in love with your father and I'm pretty over the moon for you too. My fear for Jemma extends to every one of you. My concern about making sure this house is safe is just as much because you live here as it is that my own kids do."

"Clint, Skye, Pietro, Wanda, Darcy, Harley…" Bruce said next. "The same goes for me. I love your father and I've come to love you all as my own. Had my position been switched with your father's and one of you had run away, I still would have panicked. I don't want to see anything happen to you, not now that I'm starting to get to know you and have the privilege of being part of your lives."

"We sincerely hope that you're okay with this," Tony added, looking at them tentatively.

"We realize that a lot has happened in a short amount of time and our saying this may be weird. We're not trying to make it weird or… or even insist that you feel the same way. It's just," Bruce squeezed Tony's hand and looked at it, "we both realized that our hearts are big enough for all of you."

"Maybe that's why you found each other," Skye said. Pepper looked at Skye to see her glancing at her brothers and sisters before back at Bruce. "Maybe we needed you just as much as our dad did."

Pepper could clearly see that Skye's sentiment overwhelmed him with emotion. The physicist looked at Tony in surprise.

"And we needed Tony," Natasha added and that caused Tony surprise.

There was a long pause before Jane looked around at the other kids and said, "Ohana means family."

"And family means nobody gets left behind," Darcy continued.

There was another pause.

"Or forgotten," Jemma finished.

The other kids agreed as Bruce and Tony looked at each other, clearly both emotional now.

"But we're not Hawaiian," Peter pointed out.

"That's true." Wanda nodded.

"We should call ourselves something else!" Darcy suggested excitedly. "Something that's special to all of us."

"Our dads are special to us," Jemma offered with a small shrug beside Pepper and she smiled at her cute statement.

"Well, dad called us a super family. That's kind of cool," Pietro said.

"But they're not superheroes," Loki pointed out. "They're scientists."

"Scientists are like superheroes," Jane said defensively.

"Stark Industries' scientists are anyhow," Pepper said to that with a laugh that Tony and Bruce shared.

"Science…" Skye started. "Hey, we should call ourselves the science family."

"That's way cooler!" Harley cheered.

"I think it makes sense," Clint commented. "Science and family brought them together. Why not?"

There was a chorus of agreement.

"It's incredibly saccharine," Loki protested, but Pepper looked in his direction and thought she saw a gleam in his eyes. "Ridiculously sentimental." They all looked at him. "And yet somehow fitting," he finished with a smile.

Steve stood to his feet then and looked around at the other kids. "Science family, assemble," there was a pregnant pause, "for a group hug."

All of the kids complied and practically assaulted Tony and Bruce, when they stood for the hug, pulling them into the middle of a very, very large huddle of bodies of various sizes and heights fitting together like an intricate patchwork quilt or puzzle box waiting to be solved.

Pepper brushed a few tears from her eyes and then intertwined her hand with Happy's, smiling at him as she did. She could tell that he was just as touched by the moving display. She gave him a knowing look and he very obviously understood it. One day, hopefully in the not too distant future, they would be able to have their own family. Until then, Pepper was glad that she got to be an extended member of this new science family.

 

* * *

 

Tony stared at Bruce across the table in the restaurant they'd had their first official date in. Tony had known then that he had been right about Bruce when they'd met in Germany. He had known then that Bruce was special and one date wouldn't be enough. He couldn't, of course, have known just how fast it would continue to spiral, but could he go back to that first date and tell himself about the six months that would follow he wouldn't. He wouldn't ruin that surprise for anything.

Since the last time they'd dined there they had fallen headfirst into something Tony hoped would last the rest of their lives. They were still learning and adapting and figuring out the mechanisms of their 'science family' but it only made Tony hope for it to last all the more. He looked at the future and couldn't see it without Bruce and his seven amazing children. He hoped the faraway look in Bruce's eyes and the small smile on his face meant that he was on the same page.

"Penny for your thoughts?" He finally asked.

Bruce came back to him slowly, still smiling though his lips quirked a little higher in that way that suggested he was about to banter with him. "Sorry, my thoughts aren't for sell."

"I respect that," Tony said with a nod before smiling. "How about barter?"

"Depends. What do you have to offer in trade?" Tony leaned across the table and kissed him. Bruce's eyes were still closed when Tony pulled away and his face set in bliss that Tony would never get tired of seeing on the other man. "I was thinking how glad I am that you chased me down in that airport. I was thinking about how glad I am that I said yes to our first date. Not even my wildest 'what ifs' could have come up with what we've ended up having so far," Bruce said. "I'm glad I didn't miss this chance."

"Me too," Tony said contentedly. "I guess thirteen was our lucky number after all."

Bruce chuckled softly. "Guess so. That seems like a perfect segue way as any to give you your gift," he then said.

Tony raised a curious brow as Bruce pulled his gift bag from beside him and set it on the table, sliding it over to him. Tony handed Bruce the gift he'd gotten him in exchange. They had debated long and hard whether or not six months warranted gifts like a one year anniversary, but given how star crossed their relationship could have easily become what with Tony's celebrity status, their two different worlds, their blended family and other unknowns that they'd faced it seemed like a milestone just as worth celebrating more sentimentally – especially since they'd decided mutually that this was just the beginning.

"Um, you first," Bruce said nervously. "I, uh… It's kind of… It's ridiculously sentimental. Maybe too sentimental. Sorry. I'm not a good gift giver."

Tony shook his head once at him in admonishment. "Apparently being sentimental is our thing, Bruce. Let's run with it." He opened the bag and carefully pulled out a glass ornament filled with dried rose petals. "Is this…?" He blinked a few times before looking at Bruce with a surprised smile. "Are these from the roses I sent you six months ago?"

Bruce looked sheepish as he nodded. "Yeah. I had them freeze dried and preserved anyway since, well, I never got a lot of flowers in my day so it was a nice thing to just keep around as a souvenir." Tony still thought it was criminal that Bruce hadn't had tons of admirers sending him flowers throughout his life. And he still knew he was lucky no one had gotten to him first.

"Yet you're giving me the souvenir back?" Tony asked curiously before raising his brow in sudden realization. "It's a gesture isn't it?"

Bruce hitched a shoulder before nodding. "There were thirteen roses for our kids, right? That’s something we should both share."

"I love that, thank you. Ok, you're turn… Ah, but…" Tony hesitated. "It's a little more, uh, maybe grandiose, maybe not appropriate for just six months, but… Hopefully the thought's still there? I… I don't want you to think I don't love this," he gestured to the ornament, "just because it's sentimental and homemade. It's one of those things I love about you. It's what makes this special."

"I get it, Tony," Bruce said with a reassuring smile.

Tony watched Bruce open his present, pulling away the wrapping paper to reveal a leather-bound folder. Bruce glanced up at him curiously before opening the front to study the contents. Tony bit the corner of his bottom lip as he watched Bruce speed read through the content on the first page. He could clearly see the moment comprehension dawned in his eyes and Bruce moved his head upward quickly to look at him.

"What is this?" Bruce asked in spite of Tony knowing he knew. He just wanted confirmation that he wasn't crazy, no doubt.

"That's the, uh, well a copy of the official legal documents to set up the Rebecca Banner Foundation. It… It actually probably won't be finished for at least another six months so maybe it kind of counts as a two for one anniversary present," Tony tried to joke, but Bruce was still staring at him in disbelief.

"The Rebecca Banner Foundation? I… Tony…" Bruce looked back down at the documents at a loss for words, quickly turning the page. "What's the purpose?" He asked even as he continued to read.

"Combating domestic violence," Tony answered gently. He heard Bruce's breath hitch in the back of his throat. The page dropped from Bruce's hand and he looked up again. "It will be dedicated to helping as many mothers, fathers, and children as possible who have nowhere else to turn. That includes creating co-ops with other likeminded foundations and streaming funding into those programs that are out there working to make a difference."

"Tony… This is…" Bruce was clearly choking on his emotions and his eyes glistened with tears. "I don't know what to say. You better not have gotten anything for my birthday because this… This is like my birthday and Christmas in one. This is wonderful."

"I might have already gotten you a watch," Tony said with a slow wince. "Sorry."

Bruce smiled broadly at him and it was on the list of most mesmerizing things he had ever seen.

"Well, I _could_ use a new watch," he said, still smiling before leaning across the table and rejoining their lips for a quick kiss.

 

* * *

 

"'He was so exact that he was _never_ in a hurry, was _always_ ready and was economical alike of his steps and his motions,'" Tony read aloud in an expressive tone. He and Bruce sat in their bed with Jemma between them.

"So what kind of man do you think Phileas is by that description?" Bruce asked. He often made sure to help Jemma create clear images of the stories and characters in order for her to do more than just read the words, even if she did comprehend quite a few of them.

"If he was never in a hurry," Jemma started with a considering look, "that means he moved slowly?"

"That's a way of looking at it," Bruce confirmed. "And then there's other information that goes along with it. He says he was always ready."

"Like you," Jemma said with a smile, neck craning up to look at him. "You always want us to follow a schedule so we aren't late for things."

"Have I mentioned you’ve been a life saver in that area?" Tony looked at him fondly. "But yes, you're right, Jem." He looked down at Jemma then. "The way your dad doesn't want everyone hurrying about and creates a schedule to prevent it, well, that's what it's saying about Fogg. He liked to have all of his ducks in a row," he accentuated his point by tickling her gently and she giggled.

"So I can imagine Fogg like him," she said matter-of-factly after she regained her composure.

"If it helps," Bruce replied gently.

"I can be your trusted manservant," Tony said teasingly, with just enough of a leer that Bruce got the point.

"Wait… Does this book have subtext?" Bruce furrowed his brow as he tried to recall the details of the story.

Tony chuckled. "Everything has subtext."

Bruce shook his head in amusement and then gestured with a nod of his head for Tony to continue reading. After a short while the antiquated language began to put Jemma to sleep until she crashed at last. Tony slowly tapered off his reading, voice growing softer. He then closed the book and carefully set it aside.

Bruce carefully moved a little so that he could find Tony's closest hand. They sat there in silence for several long minutes, the room feeling to Bruce like it was wrapped in a blanket of contentment.

"I'm glad she's letting me share this with you now," Tony admitted softly.

"I am too," Bruce agreed.

Although sometimes only he read to Jemma or there were times she, still cautiously, asked if it was okay if only Tony read to her Bruce had decided he liked it best when it was both of them. It was a change in routine perhaps, but it was a good change. It was nice and he was glad that he had met Tony while Jemma was still young enough for them to share this experience.

"It makes me feel like she finally trusts me," Tony said, breaking through his thoughts. "Like she wants me around, you know?"

Bruce turned his gaze to look into Tony's eyes. He could see the worry there. He understood it. They still both thought too much about the day Jemma had run away and the reasons behind her actions.

"You don't have anything to worry about there," Bruce reassured him just the same. "She wants you around, Tony. They all do."

Tony nodded minutely and they leaned in above Jemma and shared a gentle kiss.

"We should probably get her to bed," Tony said after another moment.

Bruce hummed in agreement. "Think you can handle it?" He asked as Tony carefully picked the sleeping girl up into his arms.

"Yeah," Tony answered with a smile. "Go ahead and check on your project."

Bruce followed Tony out of the room and into the hall. He lingered at the door to the room Jemma shared with Wanda because the moment was more important than hurrying to the lab. He reminded himself that the project would keep. He only moved on again when Tony sat on the edge of Wanda's bed to make time for her before lights out. Bruce smiled and wished Wanda a goodnight before leaving Tony to have a few moments with his daughter.

He made his way to the lab and began work on checking the model for the latest project his team was working on. Once he was done with that, he pulled up a project idea he was going to pitch as his contribution for the next science conference. Tony's words still echoed in his mind and he wanted nothing more than to contribute a philanthropic project under the Stark Industries banner. Of course he wanted to work on it with Tony exclusively, but he wasn't quite sure how appropriate that was now that he was dating the boss. They collaborated, sure, as Tony stepped in on all projects as overseer and to offer suggestions. But he hadn't yet worked on anything exclusively with Tony nor was he sure he ever should now no matter how much he wanted that.   


Bruce didn't look up when he heard Tony striding into the lab. Tony was rustling some sort of package, alerting Bruce to the other man's presence. He only glanced over when said package was extended into his line of vision, proffered to him without words. Bruce smiled thinly and reached into the package, discovering it was blueberries when he did.

"Oh, yeah," Tony said at length. "We could definitely get that up and running by May. I have a few engineering tweaks to suggest." Bruce turned his head curiously to look at him. "What?"

"I… You think it's a good idea?"

"I think all of your ideas are good," Tony replied. "Even the bad ones," he added with a small smirk. "But, yeah, this is great. Just the thing to introduce our collaboration to the community," he said breezily before lifting the package of blueberries to his mouth and letting a few slide in.

Bruce blinked. "Our collaboration?" He raised an eyebrow. He wanted to be sure he understood Tony.

Tony on the other hand gave him a strange look, clearly confused by Bruce's hesitation. "What do you think I meant when I mentioned unveiling a project with you at the conference? I meant you and me exclusively, Bruce. We'd make a hell of a team." He smiled. "We've already proven that."

"But that was before we were dating," Bruce pointed out against his own wishes.  


"True, but dating only makes me want to collaborate with you more." Tony tossed aside the package of blueberries and grabbed Bruce by the tops of his arms. "Look, yes, you work for me. But I also want you to work _with_ me. I've wanted that since the moment I heard your first lecture. You and I as partners in everything, that's what I want." Tony gave him a warm smile and Bruce felt his heart warm along with it. "So you can stop staring at me like I have three heads."

Bruce shook his head. "It's not that. It's…" He looked down for a moment and then back to meet Tony's eyes. "The entire time I was giving that lecture all I could really think about was how I had likely made a bad impression on you when I ran into you. And all I could think was, 'wow, there goes my chance to work with Tony Stark.' I wanted to work with you so badly." He paused and then confessed, "I turned around."

Tony blinked once. "What?"

"When you made the comment about collaborating even after I pushed you away… I turned around. I was going to say yes," Bruce explained. "But you were already gone."

Tony seemed a little surprised. "Because I suggested we work on a project together?"

Bruce gave a thin smile. "Yes. That's when I knew that I wanted to be with you even if it was a bad idea. You didn't seduce me with science when you showed me the labs," Bruce said, shaking his head. "It was when you offered me the promise of working with you. I didn't get it then, but I get it now. It was never about you being a genius or even that we spoke the same language. I wanted to work with you because it was _you_ and working with _you_ meant being a part of something with _you_ and—"

Tony swallowed his attempt to explain and Bruce found he didn't care. Clearly Tony understood.

"You were wrong," Tony husked as he moved his lips along Bruce's jaw.

"About what?" Bruce wasn't sure it mattered at the moment, but he indulged him.

"You thought you'd made a bad impression," Tony answered, "and you were wrong. That was the moment I knew I might have a serious problem if you weren't into men."

"Seriously?" Bruce asked in disbelief, moving his head back to look at Tony.

"Seriously," he said with a smile, longing in his eyes. "You probably could have gone up there and recited one of Richards' old, boring lectures and it still wouldn't have made any difference. It was about _you_."

Their lips met again in a slow confirmation of what they now understood. As Bruce parted his lips slightly in invitation for something deeper and headier, his thoughts were consumed by the promise of being partners with Tony in everything.

 

* * *

 

Sam shook his head at Tony's cheesy joke and even from where he sat in the front row of the audience he could tell Bruce had cringed beside him, fondly of course. The two men were doing some pre-holiday tapings for various talk shows in order to do good press in lieu of the heightened focus on the situation with General Ross and Tony's health scare. Bruce had agreed though not without his fair share of disdain for the idea.

"Galas are one thing," he had sighed at dinner the night before, "but you may regret bringing me into the press."

"So you two have had a rough few months," the host said.

"We have," Tony replied.

"There were a lot of rumors swirling around about your stint in the hospital. Anything you would like to share about that?"

"Well, I'd like to say that any of the rumors equating it to our relationship are ludicrous."

"I can tell you seem very comfortable with one another."

"We are," Tony answered and Bruce smiled at him, nodding a little. Tony took a deep breath and Sam knew he was finally going to breach the topic of his PTSD. He had decided it was a good time to discuss it openly as in the past he had kept that part of him under wraps, even if it was common knowledge. "As most people know I was diagnosed with PTSD following the loss of my wife and the attempt on my own life."

"I'm certain many people would be," the host said, nodding gravely.

"A lot of that paranoia was on behalf of my kids as you can imagine. While I'm happy and certainly healthy most days," Tony hedged and Bruce squeezed his hand, "that sort of thing just doesn't go away. Things can still trigger that anxiety without any warning. While I won't say it was the only thing, our situation with General Ross has been a trying ordeal. Nobody likes having their family threatened."

"Not at all. Now reports are that General Ross has been threatening Dr. Banner and his children for years."

"He has," Bruce said with a nod. "He's tried several times to have my children removed from my care. I… I only regret that Tony and his children were dragged into that threat by their associating with me. Tony is a wonderful father and I wouldn't want him to lose his children any more than I would want to lose my own."

"Would you end the relationship if there was no other way?"

There was a pregnant pause as Bruce looked at Tony. Sam saw the slight flinch Tony gave and Bruce's face grew apologetic.

"Yes," Bruce said, eyes not wavering from Tony's for a moment. "If there was no other way," he said looking back at the host, "because I love Tony and his children and would never forgive myself if it came to that but I was too selfish to do anything to protect them."

"Thankfully," Tony inserted quickly, "it will never come to that." Tony looked at Bruce. "Because he's not the only one here willing to protect our family. That's why I intend to never let bullies like General Ross win. Our family is a little unconventional, but there's still love and we care about our kids. I'm confident that we'll be okay when all is said and done."

The audience applauded as it was appropriate to do so at that time and Sam smiled. Tony and Bruce smiled back at the audience and then shared a smile at each other, along with a loving gaze.

"I can't help but point out," the host said once the applause had died down, "that you've been referring to your living situation as a family. Do you feel that's what it has become? You've been together for less than a year, after all."

"When it's right it's right," Tony replied. "And this is right for us."

"There doesn't seem to be a set timeline for how these things work," Bruce added. "The most important thing for us through all of this has been making sure our kids are okay with it all. Not to say there haven't been any learning curves or won't be more in the future, but yeah it's already come to feel like a family."

"Our kids agree," Tony said. "They'll probably be embarrassed by this but they've even taken to referring to our blended family as the 'science family.'"

Sam winced. He could just see the looks of horror on the others' faces.

"That's maybe one of the cutest things I've ever heard," the host said plainly. "Now, the kids are all backstage. We know Tony is not big on the media appearances and I certainly can't blame him for that, but Mr. Stark and Dr. Banner have agreed to let us check in real quick with the kids."

"Well, with their agreement of course," Bruce threw in.

A large monitor behind them came on with all thirteen of them sitting in a room backstage. Sam smiled as Steve made eye contact with him.

"Wow!" The host said in exaggeration. "That's a lot of kids."

"Yeah, we're pretty outnumbered," Tony replied with a laugh.

"Well, we always kind of were," Bruce pointed out with a small laugh of his own. "At least now there are two of us."

"Okay so who's the oldest here?" The host asked, looking at the monitor.

"That would be me," Steve answered to the point. Sam could tell he was a little camera shy at the first.

"All of your kids are unfairly attractive," the host said to Bruce and Tony with a laugh. "I'll bet you all have to beat the boys and girls away with sticks."

"Steve and Jakob do," Clint said in response to that, shaking his head as if in shame. "I don't stand a chance until they graduate."

"Untrue as one is taken," Loki pointed out and Steve met Sam's eyes again.

"Which means it's just you that's unappealing," Natasha quipped.

"Okay, okay, enough of that," Bruce admonished, laughing nervously.

"Table talk must be fun," the host mused. "And dating. I'm sure dating must be a bit of a learning curve with so many kids venturing out at once."

"Trust me," Bruce said. "That has definitely been one of my biggest learning curves."

"But it's been okay for the most part," Tony countered.

"You know I'm curious which of your heartbreakers are off the market. I'm certain there are a lot of distraught teenagers everywhere at the prospect," the host said with curious smile. "You're practically celebrity royalty."

"Which is why we keep media appearances to a minimum," Tony explained, clearly deflecting the original delving into personal affairs. "I was thrust into the spotlight by my parents much of my young life and it made it difficult for me to adjust. I took advantage of it, nothing was private, and I never knew who my real friends were… Not ideal. That's why when I became a changed man one of the things I knew I would never do is let that happen to my own kids."

The host nodded. "It's clear any person would have to be ignorant to think you're an unfit parent."

"Our dads are the best dads," Jane said cheerfully. "They do everything they can to keep us safe and happy."

"They might be a little bit spoiled actually," Tony teased and Bruce nodded.

"Oh, we are," Skye confirmed.

"Well, I'm sure I speak for everyone in the audience here and at home when I say I hope that things work out with your situation." The host glanced at the monitor and then gave an impish look toward Bruce and Tony. "And I have to ask. I'm sure there are enough fans out there who might wonder if the two of you would consider adding to your large family now that you're together and clearly have enough love to go around."

Sam snickered at the deer in headlights look Steve and the others gave as well as the look that passed between the two men.

"Um…" Bruce started. "I… Honestly, that topic has never come up. Blending a family of 13 excluding ourselves is a challenge enough. And it's our first priority before we could ever consider that possibility. But," he looked at Tony tentatively, "I guess if there's one thing I've learned in my life and especially over the last several months, it's never say never. That's one of those things that would have to feel right, but who knows."

"I think that's a pretty good answer," Tony said, nodding. He smiled at Bruce and looked down at their hands before looking back at the monitor. "Then again thirteen seems to be our lucky number."


	23. A Day in the Life of the Science Family

Bruce glanced down at his watch, eyes widening slightly. He quickly began saving his work. "JARVIS, tell the kids if they haven't already they need to start getting ready."

He then hurried out of the lab and into the workshop. Wanda was still there working on something. He started to chastise her gently when he paused and looked in slight amazement. She had Tony's bots wrapping presents for her.

"Don't worry. Yours is already wrapped," Wanda said. "I'm almost finished," she then added and looked at him hopefully.

Bruce looked at his watch again and then gave her small smile and nod. "I guess it should be fine. I have to make sure Jemma gets ready anyway. That should give you some extra time so we don't crowd you out," he said.

"Thank you," she replied.

Bruce moved on toward the main floor of the house. He decided to pass the recreational room just to make sure there weren't any kids ignoring the need to get ready. Sure enough Pietro and Clint were playing a game of air hockey. Bruce moved over to the table and watched until the next score.

"You two need to be getting ready," he finally said.

Pietro groaned. "I don't want to go. It's so boring."

"Eh, he's got a point," Clint agreed.

"Maybe so, but this is the one gala your dad looks forward to so let's not disappoint him."

"Ten bucks says dad isn't even getting ready yet," Clint countered.

Bruce couldn't help but chuckle. "No thanks. That's not a fair bet. Your dad always waits to the last minute to get ready." He then looked at the two kids wryly. "I'm beginning to think it's a Stark thing," he teased.

Pietro laughed. "It might be," he agreed.

"Alright, let's hurry it up and finish the game," he told them. "Incidentally… JARVIS, where is Tony?"

He is in the gym with Thor and Natasha.

"Of course he is," Bruce said with a huff of a laugh as he left the rec room, Clint and Pietro snickering behind him.

He made his way toward the gym and found Tony and Natasha sparring while Thor watched on. He wasn't sure if he should be amused that Natasha was an even match against Tony, maybe even a little better, or frustrated that everybody today would rather make a mad dash to the car. It was snowing outside so they would have to leave a little earlier so as to accommodate the weather on top of it.

"I'm glad this isn't kickboxing," Tony huffed out, obviously winded.

"You would stand even less of a chance," Natasha answered smoothly.

"She's right," Thor chimed in.

Bruce winced when Natasha struck a precise blow.

"Okay, yield," Tony said, throwing up his hands. "I'm done. You win this round."

"Boxing. Excellent idea when you have to be at a gala," Bruce said dryly as he came over to the ring.

"Of course it's an excellent idea, babe," Tony said flippantly as he downed some water and came to lean over the ropes. "Just getting out some restless energy. Trust me. You don't want me to have restless energy at one of these things."

Bruce sighed. "At least tell me there wasn't any face contact." He reached up and took Tony's face into his hands to study it. "The last thing I need is the tabloids accusing me of being an abusive boyfriend."

Tony smiled. "I'm good. No face contact. None on Natasha's end either," he assured him.

"I wasn't really worried about Tasha," Bruce admitted with a thin smile. "I know you wouldn't hit her even if you had the chance. Her on the other hand…" He hitched a shoulder. "But really, Tony, you're just as bad as the kids," he said with a small laugh. "We need to be getting ready."

"We can arrive as late as we want," Tony said, shaking his head. "We probably shouldn't, but we can."

Bruce, taking advantage of his hands still holding Tony's face, pulled him down into a kiss. "Just because we can doesn't mean we will," he said firmly.

"Okay, okay," Tony playfully grumbled. He stepped back and pulled off his boxing gear.

Natasha had already done so and left to get ready. Thor was starting to leave when Bruce stopped him with a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Thor, you need to actually take a shower for this one," he told his son. "And make sure your hair actually looks brushed," he added. "Bathing in body spray and looking like you just rolled out of bed is fine most days, you know I don't mind, but indulge me on this one okay?"

Thor nodded. "I can do that," he said with a smile and then left.

Bruce sighed and Tony chuckled behind him. "You're taking a shower too, you know," Bruce said teasingly, looking over his shoulder at Tony.

"Are you going to make me?" Tony asked with a slight leer as he stepped out of the ring.

"Not a chance," Bruce said with an amused shake of his head. "Because we don't have time for that and you," he poked Tony in his shoulder, "can't help yourself."

"Damn right I can't with you around," Tony said and pulled him into another kiss.

"You're all sweaty," Bruce pointed out. He was perhaps a little too intoxicated by it, enough for it to be slightly embarrassing.

"All for you, hot stuff," Tony said wrapping Bruce in his arms and kissing him again.

For a moment Bruce lost himself, one hand wrapping around Tony's damp neck and the other running up and down Tony's exposed, muscled arm. Sometimes Tony wasn't the only one who couldn't help himself, he mused in the back of his mind.

_Sirs, Harley and Peter are attempting to infiltrate the Christmas gifts again._

Bruce and Tony pulled apart, both shaking their heads in sync. Tony groaned. "Those two are—"

 _And Steve is requesting assistance_ , JARVIS added before Tony could finish. _He seems quite distraught._

Bruce furrowed his brow and looked at Tony. "How about I handle Harley and Peter and you handle Steve before you take your shower?" He asked with a hitch of his shoulder.

"Sure," Tony replied and they split up.

Bruce made his way to the living room and found the two boys around the tree. He tilted his head as he tried to figure out what they were doing. Finally he realized they had rigged some sort of X-Ray contraption.

"I guess I'll have to call Santa's elves and have them take back your gifts," he said, announcing his presence.

The two boys immediately froze and stood up straight. They then turned around in a guilty synchronization.

"We weren't looking at our gifts, honest!" Harley said in earnest defense.

"We really weren't," Peter agreed. "We were looking at everyone else's."

Bruce's head fell forward a little at their attempted loophole. He then moved to stand in front of them and held out his hand for the machine. Peter sighed and handed it over.

"On the one hand, this is a very clever device," Bruce said encouragingly. "You two are extremely gifted and clearly when you put your heads together even more so. Unfortunately I'm going to have to hold onto it until you can be trusted not to use it inappropriately," he continued. "Sorry, boys. And there's also a little issue of neither of you listening to JARVIS and going to get ready. But since that seems to be the entire house at the moment, I'll let you off on that one."

"Dad got you something awesome!" Harley said with a wide smile.

"He really did!" Peter agreed.

"I never doubted that he would," Bruce said simply, ignoring his own impish curiosity. "And if I hear about either of you telling your brothers and sisters what they got, I'm going to be disappointed. Please don't disappoint me. That would be a very nice Christmas present for me. Doesn't cost a thing."

"Fine," Harley said, though Bruce could tell he was a little disappointed in not being able to share what he'd seen. Peter's shoulders deflated as well and the two boys hurried off to get ready, or at least Bruce hoped so.

He looked again at the machine in his hand and shook his head. He then went to Jemma's room at last only to find her already in her dress with Hulk lying on her lap as she watched Rudolph on her and Wanda's television.

"Look at my little molecule already dressed," he said proudly.

"I was excited," she said with a smile. "I asked Wanda all about it and she said the room will be filled with everybody dressed in beautiful dresses and handsome suits and there will be music and a fancy dinner and Christmas decorations everywhere and dancing… Daddy will you dance with me?"

Bruce smiled at her enthusiastic ramble and her question as he grabbed some hair supplies from Jemma's dresser and then sat on the edge of her bed. Jemma moved around to stand in front of him then so he could fix her hair.

"Of course I will," he promised and began the task of brushing her soft waves.

"I'm going to ask Tony to dance with me too," she said decidedly.

"I think he would love that," Bruce replied with another smile as he pulled a section of her hair up.

"Ow," she protested as he pulled on her hair a little too tightly.

"Sorry," he apologized and loosened it a little. He then quickly moved his hands to pull up another section before wrapping them around a third section of hair and fastening it all in place with one of her barrettes. "All done," he told her and she hurried to look in the mirror.

_Dr. Banner, Ms. Walters has arrived._

"Cousin Jen!" Jemma cheered.

"Cousin Jen!" Bruce echoed and they left the room to go welcome her.

 

* * *

 

"I hear there's a crisis," Tony said as he stood in Steve's doorway.

Steve turned around with obvious distress written all over his face. He was fumbling with his bow tie and his hair was a mess and there was a very obvious spot of acne on his nose. Tony bit down on any impish jests he could make about Steve being festive and channeling Rudolph as he moved into the room.

"I'm out of hair product," Steve said as he let his hands fall in defeat. Tony took over where he had given up and fixed his bow tie for him. "I spilled the rest of my cologne in the sink and the ghost of puberty decided to pick today to haunt me," he grumbled.

Tony finished with the bow tie, smoothed the hem of the tux at Steve's shoulders and then stepped back. "All of those are fixable problems, Steve," Tony assured him. "So let's fix them. Well, no, first, what's with the jitters?" Tony gave him a strange look.

Steve became sheepish for a moment. "Uh, two days ago was our three month anniversary," he said, obviously referencing Sam.

"Oh," Tony said in realization. The other boy had finally moved back in with his dad a few weeks prior and even though Sam was still over often, the two teenagers were adjusting to not having each other around 24/7.

"And we didn't get to have a date," Steve continued somewhat despondently. "So I guess tonight is sort of it for us… if that's okay," he tacked on hopefully.

"Of course," Tony said with a hitch of his shoulder. "As long as that's fine with the both of you then I don't mind how you spend the night. I mean, you still have to do the family shots and mingling early on, but other than that have fun."

"Okay, but I still have three very big problems," Steve reminded him.

"Big problems that I can fix," Tony reminded him in turn. "Look, I should probably give you some inspirational speech about how Sam likes you the way you are and yada yada and that's true obviously, but let's be honest. I know you want to look your best for him and that's perfectly normal. So come with me," he gestured with his head. Tony led him to the master en suite. "Okay, you've got plenty of options here, Steve," he said when they got there. "I know your dad won't mind if you use his product and I've got plenty of product to spare."

Steve's eyes widened at all of the options that Tony pulled out. "Uh…"

Tony ran a hand through Steve's hair in consideration. He then grabbed one of his own products. "I think this one will work the best with your hair and what you probably want." Steve just nodded and took the proffered item. "Okay, next up cologne. Again, there's your dad's stuff—"

"I, uh, I'd rather not," Steve said hesitantly and Tony barked out a soft laugh. "It's just… He's my dad and I don't want to smell like my dad… And I'm not really into what he wears." He shrugged and ducked his head.

"It's fine, Steve." Tony clapped him on his shoulder. "To this day I still won't wear anything that remotely reminds me of whatever it was my dad wore," he confided. "I mean granted I like what your dad wears a lot…"

"Right," Steve said with a slightly uncomfortable sort of nod.

"What do you wear?" Tony asked, studying him. "Is it like a floral, a leather? Obviously not wood if you're not into the earthy stuff your dad wears. You don't quite strike me as a citrus."

"Uh, it's a leather I think," Steve answered.

"Figured as much," Tony said with a nod as he grabbed one of his many bottles of cologne. "Just wanted to be certain. There you go."

"Thanks," Steve said with genuine gratitude in his tone, but there was an underlying hint of leftover defeat.

"Hey, I've got the ghost of puberty covered too," Tony assured him. "Literally," he said with a chuckle as he reached for a small tube of concealer and then a small bottle of liquid make up. He held both out for Steve to take.

Steve looked at the items dubiously. "Make up?"

"Yes, make up," Tony confirmed. "Contrary to some opinions, any and all men can and should wear make up on occasion, unless they always want to wear it in which case that's their business. This," he held up the concealer, "goes on first. It will reduce that redness and the inflammation. Then dab on a little of this over it," he said, holding up the liquid make up then. "Trust me. It's not a big deal."

"If Sam notices…?" Steve looked at him uncertainly even as he took the additional two items.

Tony considered it for a moment. "Yeah, he'll probably find it hot. Trust me and just use it."

"Okay," Steve conceded and started to leave. "Thanks, Tony," he said before moving along.

"No problem," Tony called after him before shutting the en suite door and finally taking his shower. To his surprise, Bruce joined him near the end of it. "Couldn't resist, huh?" He gave him a teasing look.

"Don't get any ideas," Bruce warned him with a playful peck on his lips. "Just thought I'd save a little time since we're running a little behind schedule," he explained. "Jen showed up and I got talking to her too long. Then Jane couldn't find her leggings." He sighed. "They somehow got mixed up with Wanda's clothes."

Tony chuckled. "Steve has a pimple on his nose," he offered explanation of Steve's dilemma.

"Ouch." Bruce winced.

"Yeah, he was also out of product and he spilled his cologne. You'd think it's been months since he last saw Sam," he finished with a shake of his head as he absentmindedly let his hands run up and down Bruce's wet sides.

"What did you do?" Bruce asked curiously.

"Gave him some of my product, cologne and make up," Tony answered. "I think I just about broke his brain with that last one, by the way."

Bruce snorted. "Yeah, that conversation has never come up before. Well, hopefully instead of breaking his brain you expanded his mind," he said thoughtfully.

"When he sees the results of that concealer I think that'll be a sure thing," Tony replied with a smile.

_Sirs, I am sorry to interrupt._

Tony sighed and dropped his forehead against Bruce's shoulder. "What now, J?"

Bruce chuckled softly and massaged his head for a moment before pushing him off so he could continue showering. Tony was done anyway.

_It seems that Skye is having a wardrobe crisis._

"Alright, alright," Tony surrendered as he stepped out of the shower. "Tell her dad'll be there in a few minutes." He dried his body and hair as quickly as possible. He then threw on the pants of his tux and his under shirt before leaving to find out what the problem was.

"Dad, my heel broke!" She said in panic when he reached her room.

He looked down to see her standing in uneven heels. He then looked back up at her. "I know you have more than one pair," he said incredulously.

"I don't wear heels that often," she countered. "I don’t have any other pairs that will match this dress."

Tony clicked his teeth together thoughtfully, weighing his head from side to side in consideration. Finally he held out his hand. "Let me see the heel." She took it off and handed it to him. "Do you have any other shoes you can get by with in case this doesn't work?"

She looked in the direction of her closet. "Maybe a pair of flats," she answered with a shrug, clearly not liking the idea.

Tony sighed. "Okay, be prepared to deal with that, just saying. But," he studied the shoe, "I might have another option."

Tony made his way down to the storage basement and over to a large armoire filled with vacuum sealed clothes and several pairs of shoes. With the exception of Maya's wedding dress and some jewelry pieces Tony hadn't really intended to keep any of the items as heirlooms for his daughters – rather the items were kept because he couldn't bear to throw them out – but as he compared the shoe sizes and looked for a pair in a similar color he realized maybe he should give his daughters that option.

He grabbed a pair of heels in decent enough condition that looked like they would work before moving back toward Skye's room. On his way there, Darcy ran into him. He looked her over and raised an eyebrow at her wearing Converse with her dress.

"I don't want to wear dress shoes," she protested in immediate realization.

"You don't have to," Tony compromised, "but you do have to wear your white Cons or your black ones, sweetheart. That shade of blue does not go with that dress. Okay?"

She huffed, but then nodded. "Fine, I'll be boring and match," she said and then went back to her room. He shook his head in slight amusement as he watched her go.

Tony reached Skye's bedroom again and held out the shoes for her. Skye immediately narrowed her eyes on them and gave a thoughtful tilt of her head. "Where did you get those?" She asked, looking up at him then. "They look familiar."

"They were your mother's," he answered, swallowing a small lump in his throat. Her eyes widened and she immediately took the shoes reverently. "Same size. I guess. Not all shoes fit the same so you'll have to try them on."

She quickly did so and the shoes, much to Tony's relief, fit her. "Thank you," Skye whispered over an obvious lump in her own throat and hugged him tightly.

Tony hugged her back just as tightly. "I love you so much, dear. And I know if your mom would be so proud of the girl you're growing up to be."

"And she would be proud of you," Skye said pulling away and looking at him with a teary smile. "Because you're the reason I'm turning out so well. And you did good finding somebody else who loves us like she would want." Tony pulled her back into the hug at that and kissed her on top of her head.

Tony then returned to his bedroom to finish getting ready. When he got there, he stopped in his tracks just inside the door and watched as Bruce began to tie his bow tie, looking as irresistible in a tuxedo as he knew he would. Skye was right and Tony couldn't help but feel like the luckiest man in the world to have found love again with Bruce and then some with the added bonus of Bruce's kids. As he stood there and drank in the sight of the man he loved, Tony's futurist mind ran down distant paths.

"I'm never going to be lonely again," he mused aloud as the thought struck him with clarity and conviction.

Bruce turned to look at him with a curious smile and Tony answered it with a deep kiss and showered compliments over how amazing he looked. He looked forward to more of the same blissful routine in the future, near distant both, and all the time in between and beyond.

 

* * *

 

"I don't think I've told you yet, but you look lovely this evening, Sig," Bruce said to the young blonde as he neared one of the tables the kids were sat at, checking on the various kids to make sure they weren't causing a ruckus.

"Thank you, Dr. Banner," Sig said kindly and glanced quickly at Loki before looking back down at her hands.

Bruce smiled thinly in understanding since Loki's eyes were fixed on the table in front of him. Although Loki had been the one to invite Sig – at Tony's suggestion since they were still extremely grateful to her for helping Jemma and since it was clear Loki wanted to ask her – it was clear to Bruce that Loki still was a little on the emotionally stunted side and didn't quite know how to express the things people liked to hear among other things.

"Loki," Bruce said his name evenly and his son looked up at him. "Have you two been enjoying yourselves?" He raised an eyebrow and nodded minutely toward Sig. Loki followed his gaze and then furrowed his brow before looking back at him. "Dance," he mouthed, and nodded his head toward the general direction of the open dance floor.

"Uh, Sig," Loki started, "would you…?"

"Yes?" Sig looked up eagerly, clearly taking him off guard.

Loki cleared his throat. "Would… Would you like to dance?"

"I'd love to," she answered quickly.

Bruce gave Loki an encouraging smile when he glanced back at him. Bruce then moved toward the outskirts of the dance floor himself just to spy a little. Steve and Sam were already there, very obviously drunk on their young love. Skye was there too, dancing with Jemma – who had probably asked just about everyone to dance with her at this point.

Bruce smiled at the scene and then turned his attention fully to the grand piano nearby.

" _Repeat the sounding joy_ ," Clint sang as his fingers danced across the keys.

" _Repeat the sounding joy_ ," Tony echoed as his fingers danced alongside his son's.

Their voices joined in together then and filled the large room with their harmony as the piano accompanied them.

"I never thought they would play again," Pepper said softly as she came up beside Bruce.

Bruce was broken from his reverent gaze on father and son as they played together. Most of the room didn't understand the importance of their venture, but he did and he was more than a little emotional about it. Of course, Pepper was too as he saw her wipe a tear and look down at her drink with a small smile.

"They didn't think they would either," Bruce replied just as softly.

The two likely hadn't even expected they would play outside of the safety of their own home, save Sig's little show, but it had simply happened. Clint hadn't been able to refuse the grand piano now that he was playing again and Tony hadn't been able to follow his lead. Bruce was glad it had happened; glad they could create good memories again. He was also glad that the rest of the hired band had indulged them; it was one of those moments Tony's affluence was a wonderful thing.

"Thank you," Pepper said gently.

Bruce's small smile turned down slightly in confusion. "For what?" He studied her.

"For giving them a reason to play again," Pepper answered, eyes sparkling with conviction.

"You think _I'm_ —"

"No, I _know_ you're the reason," Pepper said firmly before he could finish. "They were a little lost and you found them."

Bruce looked back over at the piano just as the song ended. Tony looked up from the keys, meeting his eyes and smiling at him.

"No," Bruce countered. "We were all a little lost and we found each other," he said in reference to both families. "But I'm glad just the same that they have a reason to play again," he added earnestly. "If you'll excuse me," he then said with a courteous nod and smile toward her.

She excused him just as courteously and he took his leave of her. Bruce made his way over to the piano and leaned gently against it. Up close he could see Tony's eyes glistening with bittersweet tears and it was enough to cause Bruce to mirror them.

"Sing me a song, piano men?" Bruce asked with a smile when they were done.

Tony flashed him a bright smile that Bruce was sure would never fail to affect him. "I'd rather dance if you're offering," he said and looked at Clint. "Besides, I think he's got the keys covered."

"Yeah," Bruce nodded, "I'd say he does. And I'm very glad for that."

"Me too," Tony agreed as he stood from the bench and looked down at his son. "Play something nice and slow for us?"

"I'll see what I can do," Clint replied.

Then Bruce and Tony moved to the dance floor and joined the other couples, and the kids that were there too – some theirs and some of those of other guests as it was a family-friendly event. Clint started up another song, the hired band joining in, and the two men began their slow dance in each other's arms.

" _Maybe it's much too early in the game, ah, but I thought I'd ask you just the same,_ " Clint started to sing.

Tony laughed softly at Clint's choice in song and Bruce got caught up in the way his eyes danced as he did.

"I still can't believe my luck," Bruce said in a low voice. "I'm dancing with the most gorgeous man in the room and I get to go home with him," he elaborated sentimentally.

"You might think differently when you learn that gorgeous man has six kids," Tony flirted, keeping his voice pitched low as they swayed. "Spoiled brats too. Every last one of them," he said with a chuckle as he looked over at a few of their kids.

"Uh oh," Bruce deadpanned as he flirted back. "I have seven."

"Well in that case, you're _definitely_ going home with me," Tony responded, voice like silk and causing goose bumps to rise along Bruce's arms.

Bruce sighed contentedly as he considered their time together and how everything felt so oddly normal now, whether it be wrangling kids he'd never counted on or the flash of lights outside the gala or dancing with Tony in a ridiculously expensive tuxedo that, if Tony's earlier promises were true, would likely be ruined by the end of the night.

"Home," Bruce echoed the key word of Tony's previous statement as he looked at their kids and then back at Tony's warm gaze.

Tony grabbed Bruce's left hand and brought it tenderly to his lips, brushing a soft kiss along the ring finger. He then leaned in so that their foreheads were touching and began to serenade him in that soft, beautiful voice that Bruce loved to listen to. " _Oh, but in case I stand one little chance here comes the jackpot question in advance..._ "

Bruce closed his eyes and smiled, understanding Tony's sentiment. As the song came to a close Bruce captured Tony's lips for a kiss that he hoped expressed his promise. If every day was even half as crazy and wonderful as this one, and most all the days before, had been then there could be no doubt as to the answer to that jackpot question.

Suddenly Clint started playing _Run Run Rudolph_ and the two men pulled away from the kiss with laughter. Bruce looked over Tony's shoulder to see Clint's smirk as he hit the keys expertly. He then looked around to see the mood of the room instantly changed as more kids and some of the more lively employees at the company filled the dance floor, or at least bobbed their heads along if they didn't.

Jemma ran over and tugged on both of their arms excitedly. Tony immediately started dancing with her to the infectious tune and Bruce felt his heart soar.

"I got a bargain," he said and Tony spared a look in his direction, head tilted in askance. "At the first gala you asked me if I was still interested after seeing the price tag," Bruce explained with a smile. "Turns out I was really getting a bargain."

Tony beamed wildly and held out his hand. Bruce took it and let Tony pull him into the dance with Jemma. It was then that it hit him that somewhere along the way he had stopped worrying about it all falling apart on him or his kids getting hurt or the obstacles between them being too much to overcome.

As long as they had each other and their thirteen kids, their luck was sure to hold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah I'm so sad to see this story end - well, it's been ended on my computer for a while, but uploading it feels like it's ending all over again. I got so very attached to this super blended science family over the course of writing this story that I probably won't be able to abandon this verse completely. I might just have to write some supplemental fics. 
> 
> I don't intend for all of my family fics to semi-end at Christmas (Get In Line, Settle Down did too before the time jump lol), but since the Christmas Eve party was mentioned a few times throughout the story, it just felt appropriate. I felt it would be a way to really end it on a shmoopy high (and apparently _Cheaper By The Dozen_ also ends at Christmas, so jeez subconscious _jeez_ , just rip off the entire film or something). Also I really wanted to: 
> 
> 1\. Reference the song _What Are You Doing New Year's Eve_ to hail back to the fact that Tony and Bruce almost met on New Year's Eve all those years before at the science conference and now they've come full circle (as well as use the lyrics as a clever way to imply science husbands may loom in their future)  
>  2\. I wanted to make Rudolph references to hearken back to Bruce's Island of Misfit Toys
> 
> Thank you to all of the comments that have been left so far and those that may be left in the future. Again, I hope there's more to come in this verse, especially if there's interest for it.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [One Week](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10213256) by [KyoXTohru1](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KyoXTohru1/pseuds/KyoXTohru1)




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